Sans Cors
by Kanazawa
Summary: One soul, one body. It is a delicate balance, thrown into sharp relief with the turnings of time, magic, and love. When these three factors combine, it creates an intricate web, ensnaring even the most unlikely of victims. SessxKag
1. Coffee, Tea, Magic Mugs

Kagome awoke. Lying prone within the root-filled embrace of an aged poplar, her raven locks meandered over the uneven knoll Kagome had used as a pillow. Gradually, as the sleep-filled haze that filled each muscle and fibre of her body gave way to conscious action, the beginnings of coherent thought began to flit through the miko's mind.

_Coffee, I need coffee_. The thought floated around her mind, conjuring various images of her early morning routine: an apron-clad Mrs. Higurashi bustling around the kitchen, deftly maneuvering around frantic school children, efficiently managing the goings-on of the Higurashi kitchen. While breakfast at the Higurashi household meant many things to Mrs. Higurashi, to Kagome it meant coffee.

A slow smile spread across the miko's face. She could still picture in her mind's eye her mother preparing coffee for in her favorite mug. It was of simple design really, just a plain white mug with blue letters scrawled across the surface of one side. It read: "There cannot be a crisis this week, my schedule is already full."

Shifting her position, Kagome gathered her legs as they lay sprawled along the forest floor. Steadying her hand against the tree behind her, Kagome sat up and sighed. How she wished it were that easy! It was just that crises were so uncooperative, popping up at inopportune times, and they had a nasty habit of occurring one right after the other.

_Wasn't there a limit or something like that? How about one crisis per week_?Kagome felt that one crisis per week would be manageable. Or, if she could just reschedule crises to a more convenient time; she felt it was a reasonable enough request. With all the crises she had gone through in the Sengoku Jidai, if it was all a matter of scheduling, she was sure she could handle it.

_Maybe_, she thought, _maybe crises occur in droves because they aren't aware there is a limit. Yes, that must be it, they just don't know. I should bring my mug. Then, I could point it out to them. _In her mind she imagined herself having a quiet conversation with crisis B, describing that crisis A was here first and that B would have to wait until tomorrow; she imagined herself confronting crisis C, and, pointedly reading her mug, rescheduling to next week; she imagined herself taking on a hoard of crises at once and disbanding them left and right with a wave of her magic mug. _Champion of Crises! I would brandish my mug at any untimely crises and poof! Rescheduled to next week, Saturday_. A strange happiness spread through Kagome as she imagined herself conquering over-amorous wolves, sword-obsessed dog demons, and soul-sucking priestesses. _Haha! Take that, Kikyo! If I could pencil you in on my schedule, it would be under the 15th of Neverary._

Gathering her focus, Kagome tried to piece together her wandering thoughts. _I went from coffee, to mom in the kitchen, to vanquishing foes with mugs. _Her thoughts had been so uncharacteristically flighty this morning, ethereal almost. She mentally shrugged,_ I am just going to have to keep better track in the morning. _The tinkling laughter of the slight, raven-haired youth echoed off the nearest trees as she chuckled at her random musings.

Stretching languidly, the last vestiges of sleep fell from her body, as she cleared the sleep-induced fog from her mind. Gathering her strength to stand, she pushed off the ground, settling into a relaxed stance.

She felt refreshed. For the first time in a long time, she had been allowed to sleep until her body awoke naturally. When she traveled with Inuyasha it was rare that he let her sleep in so late. Even after Naraku's defeat, Inuyasha had insisted upon early wake up calls. _Until yesterday, _the thought rose, unbidden, and left in its wake a mirage of unwanted and unwelcome images.

_Ah, yes, yesterday._ She thought feebly. Until yesterday there had been early wake up calls. Until yesterday, there had been the Shikkon no Tama. _Until yesterday, _she thought bitterly, _I had been ALIVE!_ _Today I'm dead!_

_Not dead, really._ Her mind reminded her. No, Kagome wasn't really dead. In essence, she was just that, an essence. A ghost.

Once again yesterday's events thundered across the miko's mind. Impression upon impression came at her in waves. Torrential, the images welled up within her mind, a deluge, the undulations of which were almost palpable. Kagome's knees buckled, and she fell to the ground in a heap.

_I'm a ghost._ The thought ricocheted throughout her skull, crushing any other errant thought. Kagome lay still, until even the echoes of that one resounding phrase grew quiet. Fixing her cerulean eyes on the tree above her, she studied its harsh outline against the clear winter sky.

_How had the fact that she was a ghost slipped her mind?_ She wondered. Consternation frowned upon her brow as she endeavored to recall what had occupied her mind this morning. _Ah, _her mind replied, _it was the coffee, mom, magic mug thing. _

Picking up those threads, a fleeting thought entreated upon her mind. _I want my mug._ At that, a small laugh bubbled up within Kagome's throat, but it quickly died down as Kagome came to a startling realization. _What is keeping me here? If somebody waved their mug at me, what would keep me from disappearing?_ With that image playing behind her expressive eyes, the miko remained motionless for some time.


	2. And the Gates to Avernus Lie Open

_What is keeping me here? If somebody waved their mug at me, what would keep me from disappearing?_ With that image playing behind her expressive eyes, the miko remained motionless for some time.

The winter sun glared overhead, casting long shadows over the damp forest floor. Kagome shivered from where she sat crouched beneath the boughs of her erstwhile companion, the black poplar tree.

A harsh caw broke the eerie silence of Inuyasha's forest as one of its denizens took flight, successfully shattering the miko's concentration and startling her into an uneasy sense of awareness.

_How long have I just been sitting here?_ Kagome wondered as she turned her face toward the paltry heat of the mid-morning sun. Glancing at her watch, it read 12:30 PM. She had been lost inside her memories for over an hour. Inwardly cringing at the passing of time, the miko focused her gaze out onto the scenery before her.

In front of her stretched Inuyasha's forest; immediately behind her, she knew, stood the tall poplar tree, under which she had spent a night of blissful repose. Further behind her and to the east, she could feel the steady thrum of magic as it coursed lazily through the bone eater's well. She was at least a day's hike from Kaede's village and from her friends.

Picking herself up off the cold ground, Kagome stood. She turned, running her hand over the smooth bark of the poplar tree, as if in thanks for its one-time companionship. She watched as her hand, translucent, filtering even the weak rays of the winter sun, passed through _into_ the tree itself.

She stared absentmindedly at the offending appendage, as if it belonged to some other being entirely. Then, it clicked in her mind. That was _her_ hand. Her very _human_ hand, and it was passing through a very _solid_ tree.

Kagome's eyes widened; her face strained with effort. _I am no longer a human._ Regardless of previous denial, the evidence was inescapable. Her hand had just passed through a tree. Her mind reeled as it fought to grasp a hold over her non-corporeal nature. So, Kagome did what any once-human would do when confronted with their lack of humanity, she ran.

Away from the well and the safety and comforts of home, away from the village and her steadfast companions, she fled without direction or destination. Tearing through the forest, Kagome focused on placing one foot in front of the other, as she ran from herself and a yesterday that she couldn't quite escape.

_Yes, that's it Kagome. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. _She told herself. To keep her mind occupied, she began to count each of her strides which carried her further away from familiar territory. She concentrated on the crash of her footfalls and the scratching of each labored breath. Even with her careful efforts, Kagome felt certain the entire forest was alerted to her presence.

_One-thousand and one, one-thousand and two, one-thousand and… _Kagome's mind faltered. Concentrating on numbers could distract one's mind from the onslaught of pressing memory for only so long. She slowed to a walk as she came to a clearing, a distant look upon her face. Her porcelain features, etched with a sharp pain, evidenced that the young miko's thoughts lay elsewhere.

_Sango, Miroku, Shippo,_ unbidden, the images of her friends surfaced in her mind. Then _Inuyasha, Kikyo…_ her expression grew darker. She felt her brows drawing together, tension resting upon her forehead as she clenched her jaw. _They had all been there_, her mind continued within that memory, _Kaede, too, standing outside her hut_. She easily recalled that day. The atmosphere, thick with a sense of anticipation, hung on its own breath. Even the surrounding forest dimmed to a hushed whisper with expectation for a wish, a wish that would take the Shikkon no Tama out of existence.

In her mind's eye, Kagome watched again the faces of her friends filling with trepidation as Inuyasha drew the completed Shikkon out from his haori sleeve. She could still see Shippo's small frame, hopping around in a vain effort to stem his excitement; Sango as her hand passed over Hiraikotsu, a classic gesture, a tell-tale sign of nervousness within the demon exterminator; Miroku's face, the small cloud of dismay that hung over his brow, the only sense of urgency belying his calm expression.

_Kikyo was there too._ The thought came from one of the recesses in her mind. _Yes, Kikyo was there. _ But, she had pointedly avoided looking at the undead miko. At this point, Kagome almost wished she had. Perhaps it would have served her better now. _Yeah, well, hind-sight is twenty-twenty, _she replied, silencing that gnawing sense of doubt.

Squashing that growing sense of remorse, images once more began unfolding before the reluctant miko. She took in the anxious countenances of her friends, and measured their fears and expectations with her own. Following that, she glanced over at Kaede, hoping to gain a modicum of composure from the aged miko's stare. _Yes, I remember glancing at Kaede, but…_ Before she could read into that wizened stare, her attention had been stolen away by something else, Inuyasha's voice.

Kagome ceased walking. A captive of her own mind, Kagome watched on helplessly as her mind transported her into memories she had no desire to revisit. She saw Inuyasha's striking form, as he raised the jewel within his palm, preparing to utter his wish.

Unable to turn away, Kagome watched on with a growing horror. Each word that fell from the hanyou's lips tore across her mind, echoing mercilessly throughout its farthest reaches:

"I wish Kikyo was alive."

Reacting to his wish, the jewel pulsed once, and encircled the younger miko. If Kagome concentrated hard enough, she could still feel the power of the Shikkon no Tama as it engulfed her within its pulsating aura. It caressed her body like some deadly lover, coaxing her soul to its will. Each ebb of that holy power eroded away Kagome's carefully constructed control, leaving the miko defenseless to the commands of the wish.

Then, as quickly as it began, it ended. The Kagome's soul erupted from her body, merging with its complement within Kikyo. For a brief moment in time, Kagome felt both within and without her own body. Then, all connections were severed as Kagome's completed soul surged to life, pulsing within the bosom of the undead miko.

_Un-undead miko,_ her mind correct for her. Kikyo was very much alive now; her beating breast sustained by the palpitations of Kagome's own soul. Recalling the memory, Kagome wildly clutched at her chest, as if to stop the terrible mechanisms of her memory. Her efforts were futile. Her soul lost.

It had only taken one moment, one ill-conceived wish. Her soul wrenched from her body, and placed within the breast of another standing not ten feet from her. She could feel her corporeal essence dissipate into the air, like a morning mist with the first rays of the dawning sun.

_Then all hell broke loose_, Kagome thought with a wry smile, remembering the chaos that ensued after Inuyasha's wish. At first, shock registered on each face, but as the two souls synthesized and Kagome faded from existence, shock gave way to pandemonium.

Sango reacted first. "Inuyasha, how could you!" she screamed, watching as her almost-sister dissolved before her very eyes. Years of pent up frustration at seeing her best-friend constantly spurned in favor of the living dead, she rushed at Inuyasha, punching indiscriminately. Hunched over, grief racked her body, her blows accompanied with indiscernible sobs.

With Sango's violent reaction, a terrible reality began to settle within the young kit's mind. His small face looked around for any sign of her slight form, a plaintive "Momma." coming across his lips. Distraught now, the young kit frantically searched the village square, his cries of "momma" getting louder and louder.

Kagome watched as her almost-son tore through the village, pausing in every hut, occupied or not, looking for his mother. Following his cries, Kagome stopped in front of her young kit.

"It's okay. Momma's here." she said, quietly trying to soothe the young one's turbulent emotions.

Shippo stared right through her. _Perhaps, I didn't speak loud enough_, she thought. Trying again, Kagome, a little more authority in her tone, spoke:

"It's okay. Momma's here, Shippo. There's no need for tears." as she kneeled and opened her arms.

However, the kit did not jump into the young miko's waiting embrace. Looking closer to hysterics, the kit turned away and continued his search. Her words had fallen on deaf ears. Turning from her confused kit, Kagome approached Sango, where she stood, half-heartedly punching the confused hanyou. Placing a translucent hand on the demon exterminator's shoulder, she urged:

"Sango it's alright. I'm right here. Save your strength. You can beat up Inuyasha some other time, when he's done something really bad." Kagome gently tried to disentangle the distraught demon exterminator's form. But, it seemed like Sango wasn't listening. _Shippo and Sango are just too caught up, too distraught. _Her mind reassured herself. Spying the monk, Kagome turned her pleas the attentive ears of Miroku. Standing in front of his composed form, she entreated the monk:

"Miroku, you have got to stop this. Shippo and Sango don't realize I'm here." But with that, the monk stared straight through her, unmoved. It was then that Kagome realized: _They can't see me. I don't exist to them anymore._

Kagome blanched. She was dead to her best-friends, her second family. _I am less than a ghost._ Her mind thought bitterly. _If I was a ghost my friends would be able to see me. I am not a ghost. _ Her mind worked frantically, _I'm some sort of soulless spirit, and my friends, my friends can't see me. _Wild now, Kagome ran to everyone, anyone she could see.

"I'm right here! I'm right here!" She screamed over and over, willing her friends the ability to see her. She shook Inuyasha, yelling in his face. But, all her efforts were in vain. No matter how many times she screamed or yelled, nobody turned their head in her direction, no one placed a comforting hand on the troubled miko. Distraught and helpless, the miko fell to the ground in the middle of the village square. Adrift in a world where Kagome did not exist, she sat listless and observed the resulting bedlam.

When Shippo realized he was without a mother, he launched himself a top the hanyou's head, wailing into Inuyasha's sensitive ears. A boundless grief poured over the kit and rolled over in waves, just as a river breaks its flood-gates after a torrential storm.

Sango continued to strike Inuyasha, her blows slowly softening as rage gave way to grief, while Miroku stared wide-eyed at the turmoil, unsuccessfully trying to piece his thoughts together. He glanced at Kaede, pleading, hoping to find within her the voice of reason they all so desperately needed.

Catching Miroku's eye, Kaede reluctantly took up the burden of authority. Her uncompromising voice rang clear, piercing through the madness that had laid hold over the companions.

"Stop!"

With that, the chaos ceased. Sango's punches, Shippo's wailing, and Miroku's frantic mind stilled at the commanding tone of the aged miko.

A look of deep-rooted sadness etched itself into each line of her aged face, as Kaede directed the bereaved companions towards to sanctity of her modest hut. She sighed as she pressed aside the flap at the entrance to her home, wishing that grief were so easily pushed aside.

"Come, we have much to talk about." She said, as she ushered a dazed hanyou and the rest of his companions into the relative warmth of her house. A tense silence enveloped the room as everyone settled themselves about the hearth at the center of the room. Unbeknownst to her friends, the object of their grief followed quietly behind. Standing in a spot near the door, Kagome listened, hoping to hear something that would shed some light on her new condition.

Shippo, Sango, and Miroku seated themselves as far away from the hanyou and his companion. Sango's body trembled with suppressed rage and restraint, and it was only out of deference and respect for the elder miko that kept the demon exterminator from exercising her skill. While no less angry than the rest, Miroku placed a restraining the kit. Kaede's earlier tone brooked no argument, and it pained him to think of his steadfast companions coming to blows. With that thought foremost in his mind, Miroku looked to Kaede's grave face for the answers he and so many others desperately sought.

"Inuyasha," Kaede began carefully, trying to draw the hanyou out of his dazed stupor. While his posture radiated pain and confusion, at the sound of his name, Inuyasha's head snapped up, attentive and alert.

"Inuyasha," she began again slowly, "and Shippo and Sango." Reluctantly, the latter pair turned their smoldering gazes away from the disoriented hanyou. Kaede continued, "There is something you need to know. Something that is taught to those of the holy orders such as myself and Miroku."

Before Kaede could get any further, Sango broke in, "What happened to Kagome?" she demanded. A hint of desperation tinged her voice.

A sigh escaped Kaede as she responded, "The young one is dead. When Inuyasha wished for Kikyo's life, the jewel used Kagome's soul to complete Kikyo's soul." At this, the young kit clung to Sango, burying his nose into the crook at Sango's neck. Sango could feel the young kits tears as they cooled a path on her shoulder.

"What?! Why?!" Sango exclaimed. "Why Kagome's soul? Couldn't it have just filled it up with… I don't know… something else, _anything else_?"

Placing a gentle hand on Shippo's head in comfort, the monk replied, "There is a law, a law that governs both the land of the living, and the land of the dead. It states: _One soul, one body._ While both Kikyo and Kagome were alive, that balance was upset, one soul existing in two bodies. While this anomaly continued, both Kikyo and Kagome lived, each with less than a complete soul. However, given the law, in order to complete the soul, one soul would need to be forcefully removed from one person or the other. When Inuyasha wished for Kikyo's soul, the jewel had no recourse but to use the last of Kagome's soul to complete it." Grief clouded the youth's violet eyes, and he fought to keep his voice steady. "That is why Kikyo is here, and Kagome isn't."

Kagome's heart lurched at those words. She was dead to her friends. Her companions, her faithful companions, could not see her. Her friends couldn't help her now. Her spirit form, whatever it was, was invisible. Without a way to interact, she was just at useless to them as they were to her. If she was ever to be with her friends again, she needed help.

Standing in the doorway of Kaede's hut, Kagome made up her mind. She would see her friends again, and, more importantly, _they _would see _her. _With a lingering gaze, she wordlessly said goodbye

_I just hope it isn't forever._ A sad smile graced the miko's features, as she turned and walked out of Kaede's hut. She pointedly ignored the feeling that as she walked out of Kaede's hut, she walked out of her friends' lives. _I will see them again. And they will see me. _She vowed to herself as she left.

That was how she had ended up, alone, with only a lone poplar tree for company, on a journey to find herself. That was how she had started out this morning, walking without direction or destination. _Walking, _her mind reminded her. She had gotten lost within her thoughts once again. _I thought I told myself to keep better track, NOT to let my thoughts run away with me. _She chided herself gently. Slowly, she climbed out of the world her memory had created for her and into the present. _I am supposed to be walking._ Once again, Kagome began the tedious task of placing one foot in front of the other.

"One, two, three, four, fi---," her body stopped mid-stride, her voice stopped, mid-count. She felt something, a distinct something. It was…_pulsing. _Inexplicably drawn, Kagome turned her feet towards the source of that power.

West, she was heading west. That much her mind told her. As she drew nearer and nearer, the pulse grew stronger. Before it was just a slight tingle, now, she could feel it reverberating throughout her entire being, pulling by some unseen force. It urged Kagome onwards.

She began to run. The power called to her, and she answered that call. Sprinting now, she ran, disregarding any and all obstacles. Trees within her path, she just passed on through. Streams and creeks, she skimmed over, delicately alighting on the water's surface.

Closer and closer she drew. The power lay just beyond that ridge, past the line of pine trees. Racing over the ridge, she jumped into the safety of the clearing, and ran into something _solid._

Kagome recoiled as she tumbled with the force of the impact. A jumbled mass of limbs, Kagome gathered her wits about her. _I'm a spirit. _Her mind told her a little confused. _How could I run into something solid? _ She asked herself.Still dazed from her fall, Kagome shook her head, clearing it after her dive. Turning her questioning eyes about her, she searched for the power source that had drawn her here.

However, as her cerulean eyes gazed forward, all her thoughts vanished, dissolving into an inky nothingness. Kagome stilled. She had run into the Ruler of the West, _literally. _


	3. Therapy

However, as her cerulean eyes gazed forward, all her thoughts vanished, dissolving into an inky nothingness. Kagome stilled. She had run into the Ruler of the West, _literally._

_Death is certain. _She mentally shuddered. Not two feet in front of her stood the icy lord. As her eyes roved over his immaculate form, Kagome stared. She couldn't help it. This being would be the cause of her death, her _second_ death. While technically already dead, her mind easily conjured images of the cold lord killing and re-killing her, over and over again. _If anyone could kill a spirit, it would be Sesshoumaru. _She thought, wearily eyeing the demon lord before her. She could see her death written within uncompromising stare, the unyielding set of his jaw, his hand poised slightly above Tokijin's hilt. Indeed, every line of his hard form screamed for her demise. With growing concern, the young miko tried to think of a possible escape. She idly wondered if she even had enough time to scramble over the ridge she had just tumbled over. She decided against it, figuring he would kill her, or at least mortally wound her, before she traveled too far.

_I'm in trouble._ Her doom permeated the air, a thick combination of apprehension and fear. She tried to imagine her little mug overpowering the crisis that loomed before her. But her magic mug, victor in so many previous mental engagements, did not hold a prayer against this Lord Sesshoumaru. _Yep, doom, doom, doom…_ Kagome gazed upon the demon lord warily, never once taking her eyes off his dangerous form.

In turn, Sesshoumaru stared at the young miko. It amused him to watch as she wallowed in fear. However, the silence had stretched on long enough for his tastes. And, while he garnered a certain amount of perverse pleasure at the sight of her abject terror, she looked about ready to wet herself. He did not need that. _That would be decidedly unpleasant. _ His mind finished for him.

"Miko." A rich tenor filled the small clearing, swiftly gaining the attention of one terrified young woman.

Kagome visibly flinched, as she raised her eyes to met Sesshoumaru's own. It was then that she noticed it. _He _was looking _at her. _Not through her, not around her, he was staring _at _her. The Ruler of the Western Lands, the Ice King, this Sesshoumaru could _see _her. If he could see her, he could help her. Unable to contain her excitement, Kagome blurted out:

"You can see me!?" Kagome quickly clasped her hands over her mouth. That had not been what she had intended to say to the Western Lord. Again eyeing the demon, Kagome wondered how Sesshoumaru would take her unintentional outburst.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his golden eyes at the miko's slight form.

"Human, come here." He stated, a hint of suspicion coloring his tone.

Reluctantly Kagome rose to her feet. She figured she had two options: run and die, or stay here and most likely die. While her chances of survival were only slightly higher if she stayed, Kagome chose to obey the demon lord. As she approached, a small smirk played across Sesshoumaru's unforgiving features. Kagome's heart sunk a little further.

Before Kagome could even blink, Sesshoumaru nonchalantly drew Tokijin and sliced Kagome in half. His suspicions hardened, as the blade passed cleanly through the spirit miko. _A phantom miko._ His mind supplied, but he would return to that train of thought later. Right now, he concentrated on the growing sense of euphoria that burgeoned throughout his being. He had been able to strike something without restraint and without any thought to the annoying consequences. Many of his previous victims had the unfortunate tendency to die. Even Jaken had limits. _But not the miko before him, _his mind thought wickedly. He could subject the young miko before him to an assortment of tortures with nary a thought for the miko's well-being. The demon lord's mind began enumerating various attack methods and torture techniques. _I haven't used that one in years, _thought Sesshoumaru, the image of a particularly nasty poison claw technique flitting across his mind. _Ah yes, this could be…entertaining_.

The miko before him was an opportunity, an opportunity to freely wreak havoc and destruction on a regular basis. He did miss the sight of copious amounts of blood spewing from whatever carcass he happened to be slicing into, but perhaps he could convince the miko to stand within a tomato patch. _This could work. _His smirk deepened as something positively evil glinted within his hard gaze. _I could use this to my advantage. _He really could use an outlet for the stress in his life, and his torture victims usually served that purpose amply well. _She could prove even more therapeutic than Jaken. _Already with that one slice, he could feel all the frustrations of the morning melting away, the oppressive weight of managing the Western Lands and its holding lifted from his shoulders. Sesshoumaru looked again to the miko in front of him. A feral gleam lit within his eyes.

Kagome missed the feral tint to her opponent's eyes, as her attention was focused elsewhere: her missing mid-drift. Had she known the direction his thoughts were taking, Kagome might have exhibited a stronger interest. However, at the moment, she was distracted by the gaping seam that occupied the space where her internal organs used to be.

"You," her voice quivered with anger; her cerulean eyes darkened to a stormy blue. "You just cut me in ha---!" Her voice stopped in shock, as a wide-eyed Kagome watched as her two ethereal halves fused themselves together again.

It was then that Kagome came to a startling realization. She had received an attack from the famous Ruler of the Western Lands, and _lived._ She was neither dead, nor dying.

"Ha!" Her voice crowed in triumph. Her rosy cheeks suffused with her sense of conquest and joy, an air of confidence surrounding the previously terrified miko.

Sesshoumaru watched as the volatile miko underwent her transformation from terrified whelp to overconfident underling. He took in the miko's self-assured stance, the cocky tilt to her head, the offending set of her lips. _So, _he thought decidedly, _she thinks I can't hurt her. _

This was true. That exact thought danced around the miko's head, parading around with little somersaults. _He can't hurt me. He can't hurt me. He can't hurt me._ chimed Kagome's sing-song mental voice.

Her flagrant disregard for his power was offensive, and her excessive display of emotions was disgusting. He needed to put an end to her delusions right now.

"Miko, cease this nonsense." he stated, as he drew Tenseiga from its sheath at his side.

While it was the cold tone that shattered Kagome's reverie, it was his second sword that captured the miko's wandering attention. She could _feel_ that sword. _That was what I crashed into. The solid object I hit when I came rushing into the clearing…it was Sesshoumaru's long, hard sword. _

In her spirit world where nothing was real, that sword was dangerously substantial. Somewhere she knew that were she to run her finger along its blade, she would not escape unscathed. Although, Kagome wasn't sure what she would bleed. _Without a soul, I couldn't bleed blood, could I?_ Momentarily, her mind was caught up with her musings, until her sense of self-preservation spoke up. _Hello… Kagome! Try to stay focused on the sword, and we won't need to worry about whether or not you bleed blue or black blood._ Silently agreeing, Kagome redirected her attention to Sesshoumaru's sword. As she continued to stare, her mind worked furiously, trying to guess Sesshoumaru's next move.

However, when the sword began pulsing, Kagome's mind shut down. _The sword just pulsed. _Suddenly the connections became clear. Thatsword, that pulsing sword was not only the solid object she had run into, it was also the source of power.

Sesshoumaru watched the miko's mental connections flit across her expressive face, and mentally congratulated himself at having crushed the miko's good spirits. Just a moment ago, her face had been flushed with victory, elated, the next, horrible fear. If he was given to vulgar displays of emotions, he would have laughed out loud at the change in the miko's countenance, the joy in her face falling away to be replaced by an impending sense of doom.

_Doom. Doom. Doom._ For the second time that day, that macabre death toll sounded within the miko's head. _I'm gonna die._ It was official. If she wasn't on her way to Hades earlier when she affronted his royal person by running into him, she was most assuredly on her way now. _Sesshoumaru has probably already paid the boatman._ Her mind thought dejectedly.

While it amused the demon lord to see how quickly the young miko had resigned herself to death. He had no intentions of killing her…_yet._ His mind added for him. He had a task for the miko, and until that task was complete, he would keep her alive. _Afterwards, however, is another story entirely. _His mind thought cruelly.

But, he digressed. At this moment in time, he needed some questions answered, and they would be answered by the young woman before him. Given her open nature, and her loquacious nature, he was certain getting her to talk would not be difficult. Sheathing Tenseiga, he addressed the woman before him.

"Human," he began, but corrected himself. _She is not human any longer. She is a phantom._ Sesshoumaru paused, momentarily puzzled at how to address the being in front of him. 'Human' did not fit, nor really did 'miko.' He toyed with the idea of calling her 'phantom,' but in the end decided it sounded too ridiculous. Without recourse, the demon reluctantly settled on calling her by her name.

"Kagome. You will tell me how you came to be this way."

The miko started at the sound of her name. _He just called me by my name. _For once, Kagome marveled at the way Sesshoumaru could turn even the sound of her name into a veiled insult. But, she did not remain with that thought long. The fact that Sesshoumaru had just asked her a question slowly registered in her mind, and while Kagome fully expected to be dead by this point, she wasn't about to overlook this unexpected blessing. She'd gladly take a question over death any day. _Perhaps, _her mind suggested, _if I keep the conversation going on long enough, Sesshoumaru will forget about killing me._ Kagome settled on her plan of action, and while admittedly weak, it was her only option.

Never once removing her eyes from the sheathed form of Tenseiga, Kagome related what had happened yesterday to the rapt attention of the demon lord. She told him of Inuyasha's wish and its unfortunate consequences; she told him of the subsequent meeting that took place inside Kaede's hut; and she told him of the balance that existed between souls.

"One soul, one body." She could hear her own voice, as she related her story to the demon in front of her. "That is why Kikyo is alive, and I'm not." Briefly, images of the friends she left behind flashed behind her eyes. She willed those painful memories away, in an effort to suppress her grief. _The last thing I need is to have a mental break down in front of Mr. Icicle here. _Trying not to think about her friends, Kagome scrambled for something else to say. "Well, that's that. That's how I became a spirit." She finished lamely.

Sesshoumaru, who had been waiting patiently for the miko to conclude her story, figured that was the end of her tale. Although the miko had meandered in several places, Sesshoumaru could deduce the rest. He took careful note of everything the miko had said, filing it away for later.

Kagome spared a glance at Sesshoumaru's face, trying to gauge his reaction to her story. His eyes looked distant. She knew he had listened intently. Something in her words had set off something within the demon lord. _Fat chance I'll ever find out what though. _Kagome snorted. _As if 'Mr. High-and-Mighty' would ever deign to tell me whatever goes on within that pretty head of his._

A silence fell upon the clearing as the last of the miko's words died down. It stretched on until Sesshoumaru realized that the miko expected him to say something. Coming down from his own thoughts, Sesshoumaru turned to the spirit girl.

"You are not a spirit." He stated plainly, as if his statement explained itself.

"What?" Kagome asked a little distracted, as she shifted her weight from foot to foot. Her legs had gone stiff somewhere in the middle of her story. "What am I?" She asked then, a slight tremor in her voice.

"A phantom."

"Oh." came Kagome's intelligent surprise. She didn't know what to say, as her mind desperately tried to grasp what the demon lord was telling her.

The conversation faltered, Kagome unsure of how to continue. Questions that burned to be asked darted to and fro within her mind, but she didn't want to overstep her bounds where the demon lord was concerned. After all, he was in possession of a very deadly sword. Sesshoumaru's amusement deepened. He could almost trace each of the questions as it burned a path within the dark pools of the miko's eyes. _She's itching with curiosity. _He watched Kagome nervously shift her weight, keeping her eyes fixed on Tenseiga. In the end, Kagome's insatiable curiosity got the best of her, and she began to fire away questions at the Ruler of the Western Lands. _After all, wasn't it part of my plan to keep him talking?_

"How do you know all this?"

Sesshoumaru remained silent. Kagome assumed from his silence that 'this Sesshoumaru' had chosen not to answer her. Kagome sighed, _I guess the only way to figure out what questions Sesshoumaru will answer is to ask._ With that mentality, Kagome pressed on to her next question, undaunted.

"How is it that you can see me?"

"It is only natural that the master of Tenseiga be able to see that which is connected to the blade itself." Sesshoumaru answered tersely.

While it was painfully obvious to this Sesshoumaru that the young miko had countless other questions for him, he had no intention yielding the conversation to the phantom girl. He was here because he needed her, not the other way around. Assuming control over the conversation once more, Sesshoumaru began redirecting the discussion:

"You said earlier that you want to become visible again." It was more a question than a statement.

Not sure as to where the conversation was going, the miko hesitantly answered, "Yes."

"You also stated that the miko Kikyo is now in possession of your soul. Is that correct?"

"Yes…" Kagome said cautiously, still not grasping the demon lord's intent.

Inwardly Sesshoumaru growled. To him, the proper course of action seemed unmistakably obvious. Sesshoumaru explained further:

"When you lost your soul, you became invisible. Therefore…"

"Therefore, if I get my soul back, I become visible again." The miko finished for him. "But Kikyo has my soul. How would you propose I get it back?"

"Kill her." He said casually, as if he were discussing the weather, or a passing fancy.

_Sesshoumaru has a really twisted sense of humor_. Kagome thought, as she smiled meekly. "How did I know you were going to say something like that?" _The demon lord certainly has penchant for killing._ She thought to herself.

Sesshoumaru gave her a blank look.

Another lengthy silence dragged on between the pair. Kagome laughed nervously, trying to fill the awkward stillness. She looked to Sesshoumaru, and took in his dour expression. _He's serious. _ She realized.

"You can't be serious?!" She yelled at Sesshoumaru, while images of Kikyo's death flashed through the young miko's mind. Admittedly, inflicting pain on the form of _un-_undead miko had a certain appeal, but Kagome wasn't the type to go around killing people.

"I can't believe you!" Kagome went off at Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru, _Lord Sesshoumaru_," she emphasized, "that's your answer!? Kill Kikyo, and just hope for the best?" Kagome stared at the demon lord, hard. There was something else going on behind his cold eyes. She just wished she knew what. The Sesshoumaru that she knew held no particular misgivings towards the undead miko. But here he was advocating her death? _It just doesn't add up. _Kagome rubbed her temples in irritation, trying to discern Sesshoumaru's ulterior motives.

Kagome sat on the ground, all the frustrations of the past 24 hours coming to a head within the tiny miko. Taking deep breaths, Kagome said in a weary voice:

"Do you even have any idea what you're doing, Sesshoumaru?"

Once again the demon lord refrained from answering her question, choosing instead to fix the miko with his icy glare. Kagome flinched. _I guess my question was a little disrespectful, but, hey, I couldn't help it. He deserved it. He's being so obnoxious._

Kagome sighed, "Whatever happened to talking to people?" she asked to no one in particular. Kagome wasn't surprised when her question failed to garner an answer. At this point, it was clear that she could either accept the demon lord's absurd proposal or leave. Kagome winced at the prospect of finding someone else who could see and hear her. She was just going to have to go along with it, and hope she could change the demon lord's mind when it came to it.

Sesshoumaru carefully watched as the miko's decision bloomed across her face. _So she's agreed then._ He thought with a sense of accomplishment. Despite what he'd said earlier, he needed her help in his current endeavor. _But she doesn't need to know that. _ _It would go straight to her head. _

Having made her decision, the miko spoke. "Okay," she said unhappily, "let's go kill Kikyo."

_I knew she would come around. _But, just to upset the miko further, and prove that he was still just as much a bastard as ever, he continued to toy with her emotions.

"Who said anything about you going?" he asked quietly, an evil spark in his eyes. His words completely contradicted his true intentions.

At that Kagome looked about ready to cry. Here she was, friendless, homeless, and lost, and the one person who could actually see her was _abandoning _her! It was almost too much.

It was almost too much for Lord Sesshoumaru, too. As he looked on he could barely contain his mirth as he watched the tears well up in the miko's eyes. _It's almost too easy._ He thought, laughing at the miko's discomfort. _Yes,_ he thought, _if I have to endure her presence I will at least enjoy myself at her expense._

"Kagome," a wicked grin adorning his chiseled features, "I was joking." He paused for effect, "You are coming with me."

All around Kagome and Sesshoumaru, the forest stilled, as Kagome's rage filled the air with an oppressive silence. The Ice King almost laughed aloud at the anger pouring off of the woman's slight form. He could see her body trembling from where he stood at least two feet away from her. Kagome's knuckles cracked with tension, as her fists balled at her side. She didn't trust herself to look the demon lord in the face. She knew if she made eye contact, she might do something regrettable, like attack the Ruler of the West. Instead, she stared at a spot on his shoe, willing her eyes to burn a hole through the offending article.

Having said all the things he needed to say, the demon lord turned to leave the clearing, secure in the knowledge that the phantom miko would follow after. Kagome watched Sesshoumaru's shoes, as they walked over the small ridge and passed into the forest beyond. For a few minutes, Kagome remained seated on the ground where Sesshoumaru had left her, gathering her thoughts together.

She knew they were about a two day hike from Kaede's village, where Inuyasha and Kikyo resided. _Two days. _She thought to herself. She only needed to get through two days with the insufferable tyrant. _I can do this._ She would see her friends again, and she would get to the bottom of whatever game Sesshoumaru was playing.

_But, _thought Kagome, _if he is going to make my life a living hell, I can just as easily return the favor. _Kagome's lips twitched into an evil grin that was all her own. An evil glint stole into her eye, a look to rival the demon lord at his worst. If Sesshoumaru had been present to witness the young miko's face at that moment, he might have regretted, or at least questioned, his earlier behavior.

_He is most certainly going to regret it now. _Kagome assured herself, as she picked herself off the ground. With brisk movements she dusted herself off, and followed after the impossible Ruler of the West. Thus, it was that she and Sesshoumaru embarked on an adventure to 'kill' Kikyo.


	4. Souls, Can't Live with Them

Disclaimer: I realized I hadn't put this in the first few chapters, but it applies to those too. Unfortunately, I do not own Inuyasha… cry, cry, cry…. Well okay, now that that's over, best not wallow in our grief, onto the story!

A.N. This is a pretty long chapter for me. A lot of things happen here, but don't worry. All will be explained in time… but if you leave a review for me, I might be willing to send you a hint or two… hehehe. .

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_But, _thought Kagome, _if he is going to make my life a living hell, I can just as easily return the favor. _Kagome's lips twitched into an evil grin that was all her own. With brisk movements she dusted herself off, and followed after the impossible Ruler of the West. Thus, it was that she and Sesshoumaru embarked on an adventure to 'kill' Kikyo.

It had been mid-afternoon when the unlikely pair had set off for Kaede's village. They had been only been walking for two hours or so, before they came upon the black poplar tree where Kagome has rested the night before. She recognized the landmark. Turning her head to the demon lord in front of her, Kagome spoke her thoughts aloud:

"We're about a day and a half's hike from the village."

The words bounced around without settling, as the intended listener continued walking forward unfazed by the miko's sudden outburst. While he did take note of his current position, he did not feel it necessary to deign the mere wisp of a girl with an answer. _Words,_ he thought, _so unnecessary. It might encourage more words._ The last thing he wanted was to open up a dialogue between himself and mistress shadow.

Kagome sped up to the demon lord's side, hoping for some sort of acknowledgement. When no reply seemed forthcoming, Kagome returned to her previous musings: how to prank one severely stuffed up demon lord. With that, silence engulfed the pair once more. While Kagome hated traveling in silence, she used her time wisely. As the sun sank below the horizon, Kagome could say with pride that her time had been productive. Sesshoumaru would rue the day he crossed Kagome.

The silence around the pair deepened as the forest took on the added hush of the nighttime hours. Kagome had assumed that her icy companion would continue on through till morning. Needless to say, she was surprised when Sesshoumaru turned to her and said:

"Kagome, we will stay here for the night."

Kagome stared at the demon lord incredulously, not quite sure she had heard him correctly. However, as she looked into his eyes, she noticed he looked _tired._ An air of weariness hung about the demon lord's figure.

Concern washed over the miko. "Sesshoumaru…" her voice trailed off into the night. Kagome watched as the Ruler of the West situated himself against a nearby tree. _Why hadn't she noticed it earlier?_ Kagome thought as she scooted closer, and took a seat opposite the demon lord.

Sesshoumaru pointedly ignored Kagome as she approached his person. He hadn't slept at all last night, and while his demon form could go days without the commodity, yesterday's events weighed heavily on his mind and his heart. He cracked an eye at the wayward miko when she sat across from him. He had half a mind to reprimand the girl for her disgusting proximity, but he was just so damn tired. _I can deal with her insolence in the morning. _With that thought, the young lord drifted off into a light slumber.

Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru dozed off with no small amount of surprise. When she had traveled with Inuyahsa, typically the hanyou had kept watch while the rest of the group slept on. She was sure it was similar for Sesshoumaru's rag-tag group. She could easily imagine the Ice King watching over the slumbering forms of Jaken and Rin. _But now? _ Her mind questioned. She had no doubts that Sesshoumaru was fully capable of taking care of himself either awake or asleep. Even in rest, Sesshoumaru's body remained tense, poised for battle. _Even still, _Kagome thought, _I'll keep watch tonight._

As the hours ticked by slowly, the miko remained wide awake. Sleep never once settled upon her luscious lashes, it avoided the miko completely. _Must be something to do with my new form, perhaps I don't need sleep as often as I used to?_ Kagome thought, deciding to monitor her sleep patterns for the next few days. It was only right that she try to find out as much as possible about her new form. _Not that I'm going to be this way for long…_ her mind warned gently.

Looking up at the sky, Kagome could see that the moon had passed its zenith. She had less than half the night left. _Half the night!_ She whined. That was still a lot of time. Kagome glanced at the sleeping form of her companion. In peaceful repose, his fatigue was even more pronounced. Dark circles under his eyes lay stark against his alabaster skin. Kagome could see where his mouth drew together in a tight line, his brow creased in slight worry. While Sesshoumaru's efforts during his waking moments obscured his emotions from the miko, she could clearly see the effects of his stress as he slept. _Something is definitely bothering him._

Kagome crept closer to the enigma that was Sesshoumaru, careful not to step _into_ him. While she was a phantom, she wasn't sure if she could step into a person without disturbing them. Since disturbing the demon was the last thing that she wanted to do, Kagome cautiously stepped closer to Sesshoumaru, towering over his prone form. Her eyes grazed over his slumbering features, as she realized this was her first real opportunity to really look at the demon lord's face. Every other time, she had been more occupied with saving her life.

While she could still see the evidence of his exhaustion, she began to take in the other features of the demon lord. Moonlight alighted upon his face, carefully outlining his silver tresses and casting a soft glow on his prominent cheek bones. Kagome stilled at the sight of the creature before her. His beauty was almost otherworldly, as if some wandering angel had taken to quiet repose beneath the boughs of a solid oak tree. As the line between reality and fantasy blurred, Kagome reached out a hand tentatively. Her eye caught upon his brow and the crescent moon, shining violet with a strange iridescence. Cautiously, as if the image before her would shatter at a sudden move, she traced along its stark outline. The action reassured the miko. Her tactile senses reaffirming what her eyes knew to be true. Mesmerized, the miko moved her fingers along the stripes adorning his cheeks. Sesshoumaru's skin was cool to her touch, and sent an errant shiver along her spine.

Having purged whatever crazy desire that had possessed her to take her life in her hands and touch the demon lord, Kagome moved to back away. However, as she tensed her leg muscles in preparation, Sesshoumaru's cold eyes opened slowly. Kagome froze, her hands still poised above the demon lord's carefully sculpted face, watching with growing terror as the soft ethereal light upon Sesshoumaru's head was replaced with the terrible glint of his calculating gaze. She had woken the demon lord with her peculiar antics, and he did not look happy about it.

Sesshoumaru eyed the phantom miko warily. _What creature is this that dares wake this Sesshoumaru in the middle of the night!? _He had been slumbering peacefully when he felt the barest whisper brush up against his skin, a slight feathery sensation stealing into his subconscious. A low growl of irritation reverberated throughout his chest. Sesshoumaru stared at the miko's offending appendages as they assaulted his person. This impudent pest had the gall to touch him! Anger tinged with embarrassment rose within his chest at the thought of this Sesshoumaru being assaulted by some mere slip of a girl.

Suddenly, with a move too quick for the miko to follow, Sesshoumaru unsheathed Tokijin and began to wreak havoc upon the bewildered form of the ethereal miko. After considerable damage had been dealt and Sesshoumaru's frustrations died down, he turned his cold eyes towards the girl. Their golden depths swirled with an unmistakable warning: 'the actions of fools will not be tolerated.' Sesshoumaru ran his thumb over Tenseiga for emphasis.

Kagome's doe-like eyes widened at the terrible cruelty mirrored within Sesshoumaru's gaze. Gone was her wandering angel, replaced by some dreadful fiend without conscience or care. Kagome's spine tingled once again, not from Sesshoumaru's enthralling beauty, but from the magnificence of his terror. Desperate, her eyes searched for anything, anything other than the fuming demon lord before her. Kagome's cerulean orbs caught a slight movement to Sesshoumaru's left, his hand as he ran a careful thumb over the hilt of Tenseiga. _The sword… that's right._ Kagome thought, recalling her earlier musings that involved one Tenseiga, one demon lord, and one practical joke. Her fear forgotten, a grin spread across her face as the miko contemplated the challenge before her: one weary but conceited dog demon. Kagome's grin turned evil; she still had half the night for her 'work.' With a light heart, Kagome went about her self-appointed task of pranking said stick-in-the-mud.

A few hours later, as sister sun tip-toed over the horizon, morning's first light crept into the clearing. _Today is going to be a good day. _Kagome thought, reviewing her handiwork, as she greeted the dawning day with a smile. Suddenly, the slight stirrings of her demon companion caught her eye, as she turned to face him.

_3…2…1…_

"Kagome!" The dew-filled silence shattered as said demon lord awoke and took stock of his surroundings. Across from him stood the phantom miko, a stupid grin adorning her youthful features. However that was not what had the demon lord concerned. He was missing Tenseiga. Cold eyes swiveled to gaze upon the unsuspecting miko.

"Kagome, you wouldn't happen to know where my sword is?" Sesshoumaru's growled, his words dripped with hate, mirroring the deadly poison that now seeped from his claws.

"What sword?" Kagome asked, her voice saccharine sweet with false innocence. She hid her growing smirk behind her hand, but was unable to conceal the amusement dancing in her azure depths. _You mean the sword that I purposefully hid from you while you were sleeping? _Kagome laughed.

Sesshoumaru's eyed narrowed dangerously. The miko before was toying with him, _this Sesshoumaru!_ A murderous growl fell from the demon lord's lips, and hung threateningly throughout the clearing.

"Miko, sword. Now."

Kagome continued to chuckle at the demon lord's expense. Briefly she wondered where her sense of self preservation went, but decided that it must have jumped ship when she was turned into a phantom. How could a person be concerned with personal safety when even Sesshoumaru's dreadful attacks had no effect? _That must be it._ She thought casually. At any rate, she hoped those preservation instincts would return when she got her soul back, otherwise she'd be asking for trouble. Chastising herself for her wandering thoughts, the miko once again focused her attention on the fuming demon before her. _He must be really pissed! _She had never heard the demon lord use anything but complete sentences before now. Her mirth grew, as she delighted in Sesshoumaru's obvious discomfort.

"Sesshoumaru," she teased, "maybe if you're nice to me, I'll give you back your sword…maybe."

Sesshoumaru smirked, "I don't waste pleasantries on the dead."

"Hmph," said Kagome, frustrated with Sesshoumaru's rude behavior. "I am not dead. You said so yourself. I'm a _phantom._" She emphasized the last word. "Just in case you forgot," she added under her breath.

"Miko," Sesshoumaru's cold voice gave Kagome pause, "this Sesshoumaru does not forget. Secondly, you are only alive by virtue of the fact that your presence is necessary. In your case, you aren't dead, _yet._ However, it would behoove you to remember that your continued existence is subject to change at any time." With that, Sesshoumaru succinctly expressed to the phantom miko that if she failed to return his sword to him now, heads were going to roll, and one of those heads would be hers.

Kagome heard both Sesshoumaru's message and its undertones; however, she pointedly ignored both. "Sesshoumaru, you and I both know that without Tenseiga, you can't harm me, so you might want to try being nice to me. That means _not_ using me as some sort of sick stress relief. Could you agree to _not _slashing at me with Tokijin whenever you feel like it?"

Sesshoumaru took in the miko's bold stance, the defiant set to her jaw, and the direct challenge written within her eyes. _She's enjoying herself. _The thought came to Sesshoumaru. _She enjoys a good fight, and wants this Sesshoumaru to be upset at her little 'prank.' _The realization came to Sesshoumaru. _Hn…_ he thought, _she wants us to be upset. _However, he had no intention of allowing the miko the satisfaction of riling this demon lord. After all, Sesshoumaru was in full control of emotions, _always. _Switching tactics, he assumed an air of indifference. He didn't want to continue playing into the miko's hand, so feigning disinterest, Sesshoumaru hoped to upset the little miko and her exasperating game.

A soft sigh escaped his lips. "Miko, did it ever occur to you that I might not care where my sword is?" The crestfallen look on Kagome's face clearly told Sesshoumaru that she had failed to take that into consideration. "But, since you seem bent on this little game, we can play it your way. We will just wait patiently until you are ready to give us our sword."

His words had the expected impact. Sesshoumaru watched smugly as the miko's jubilant mood deflated. At his acquiescence, disappointment replaced her earlier exuberance. She hadn't expected the demon lord to give in so quickly; his acceptance completely ruined the joy of the prank.

"Oh, okay. I guess we should get going to Kaede's village." Said the miko dejectedly. "And, don't worry Sesshoumaru. I'll give you back your sword when I feel like it." She had anticipated much more of a fight from Sesshoumaru. _Well, that just sucked all the fun out of my prank._ Kagome turned her feet towards Kaede's village, all the while muttering to herself about how dog demons were _supposed _to act when pranked upon.

As soon as Kagome turned away, Sesshoumaru dropped his act of disinterest, an amused light playing across his golden eyes. He had enjoyed taking the wind out of her sails. _And it was so easy_. He would however, have to punish the miko for her 'prank.' Although he feigned disinterest earlier, the whereabouts of Tenseiga was no laughing matter to the demon lord, and he would take measures to ensure this lesson was not lost on Kagome. Speaking of whom, he clearly heard her mumblings as she stomped off towards Kaede's village:

'No, couldn't have just gone with it… Had to just ruin my precious prank… couldn't have just acted like a good doggie and been flustered like he was supposed to… all that honest work for nothing…'

All seriousness aside, the miko's complaints brought a silent chuckle to the demon lord's lips. While considerably annoyed at the miko's prank, he could still enjoy manipulating her emotions and throwing them back in her face. With that, the demon lord followed after Kagome.

The day passed into dusk, and evening crept upon the two travelers, stealing upon the land through the shadows. Kagome paused, wondering whether they would stop for the evening as they had done last night. She cast a brief look at the demon beside her, but when he showed no signs of stopping concluded that they would be walking on until morning. _I guess sleep is out the window_. Kagome sighed inwardly, not that she nor her partner really needed sleep. Her new form it seemed required less sleep. Although how little sleep, she had yet to find out. However, she was keeping track. So far, she had gone one night without sleep, and she wasn't tired in the least. Tonight, it would seem that she would go without sleep again, making it two nights in a row. As for Sesshoumaru, he rested last night, and should therefore not need sleep for another week. _Yep. I am going to be walking all night with Mr. Icicle… who doesn't even know how to appreciate a good prank. Hooray for me. _Kagome thought sourly.

Thus the two travelers trudged through the night. With the grueling pace the demon lord set, they reached Kaede's village just as the sun began to rise, heralding a new day. As Kagome rounded the last bend, approaching the first few huts, she felt a pang of nostalgia and loss. Her brows knotted together as she fought the urge to cry. She glanced over at Sesshoumaru's no-nonsense features and gained some small solace from the strength mirrored there. _We have a job to do. _Kagome reminded herself gently. Squaring her shoulders back, she trailed after the demon lord towards the center of town.

Sesshoumaru could sense the young miko behind him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her attempts to reign in her wayward emotions. He was pleasantly surprised with her ability to refrain from crying. _A bawling miko is the last thing I need right now. _He thought, directing his senses towards the village proper. He could pick out the scents of his brother's motley crew from within one of the larger huts off to his left. However, his brother's scent, as well as the scent of decaying matter that indicated his undead companion, was not among them. Those two scents were somewhat removed from the village proper, in a different hut. Cloaked in silence, he guided his footfalls to where his half-brother and the undead priestess lay in quiet repose, their breaths even and slow. Approaching the hut, he slid through the door flap, and positioned himself to strike Kikyo's slumbering form.

Alert for any possible movements or stirrings, Sesshoumaru's eyes flicked to the doorway when Kagome's spirit form glided through effortlessly to take a position at his side. A grudging respect burgeoned within his chest for the young miko at her ability to move in stealth. _Although, it has nothing to do with her, and everything to do with her current form. _His mind added, not willing to afford the miko even the slightest praise.

There they were all four within the confines of the hut. Sesshoumaru carefully poised above the sleeping forms of Kikyo and Inuyasha, as Kagome watched from the side. While it hurt Kagome to see Kikyo's sleeping form in Inuyasha's embrace, she endeavored to keep her mind on the task at hand: killing Kikyo. Or rather, that was Sesshoumaru's plan. Her task was to stop Sesshoumaru, or at least stem the bloodshed. She didn't really want Sesshoumaru to kill Kikyo. But how was she supposed to stop the demon lord from killing someone or something that he wanted to kill? _I mean, the guy's a killing machine_! Her mind raved. If anything she needed a plan.

Kagome's mind worked furiously. _Perhaps if I could convince Sesshoumaru that just injuring the priestess would fulfill his dark purpose, then everybody would be happy. Sesshoumaru would get to hurt Kikyo and I would get to see her hurt. Not that I usually like that kind of thing, but, the girl stole my soul. I am entitled to be a little vindictive, aren't I? The only people who might be unhappy would be Inuyasha and Kikyo. Even then, I'm sure they'll feel better about it once they learn that Sesshoumaru's original plan was to kill Kikyo. I mean, if I had the choice between death by Sesshoumaru or merely a flesh wound by Sesshoumaru, flesh wound would win out over death any day. So, that's the plan. _Although exactly how the young miko was going to implement her plan without a corporeal form was lost on Kagome. She had decided on her plan and she was sticking to it. So, with her mind settled, Kagome watched and waited for the demon lord to strike.

Minutes passed by with agonizing slowness. A distinct itch behind Kagome's ear twitched, begging to be scratched, but she dared not divert her attention from the mass of muscles before her. All of a sudden, the tension drained from Sesshoumaru's form. Standing from his crouched position, he turned his gaze upon Kagome, a quiet rage billowing off his body.

_What the- _came the intelligent thought, as Kagome's confused eyes met with Sesshoumaru's. _Why is he waiting? _Kagome's mind turned over and over. He had been ready to strike, and then pulled away. _What is missing?_ She paused. _His sword. His sword is missing. He needs Tenseiga._

A burst of laughter erupted from the miko, until she quickly cupped her hands over her mouth. Glancing around the room to see if she had awakened any occupants with her untimely outburst, she saw that no one had stirred save the demon lord in front of her. _Oh yeah, _her mind supplied, _he is the only one who can hear me. There is no reason for me to be cautious. _Letting down her reserves, Kagome whispered her suspicions to Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru, you need the sword don't you." Kagome's eyes once again sparkled with the same mirth she had shown when she had first revealed her prank. It seemed that Sesshoumaru had only been able to ruin her prank temporarily. In fact, the current situation made her little prank all that more amusing to the young girl. All the earlier jubilation returned to the miko's face, suffusing it with a mischievous light.

When the girl spoke, Sesshoumaru glanced over at the sleeping occupants. Once he was assured that the miko's speech would not wake up either Inuyasha or Kikyo, he turned to answer Kagome. However, unlike the phantom miko, he was bound to silence. Frustration rolled off the demon in waves, almost palpable to the occupants in the room. Never before had this Sesshoumaru been so infuriated by remaining silent. Usually one to cherish a quiet reverie, he now found that same quiet maddeningly exasperating.

Kagome fixed her eyes on the upset demon lord, trying to gauge how he would answer her question without making a noise. The look in his eyes spoke volumes, a mixture of intense frustration and anger. It was almost as if he strained against some invisible force, fighting to break free. However, Kagome knew that was not the case; he was just annoyed with his inability to communicate. Taking her eyes away from his gaze, it was then she noticed the almost imperceptible nod of his head. He was telling her that he needed Tenseiga.

Kagome's smile grew brighter. She had him now.

"Sesshoumaru," she practically purred, heady with the sway she now held over the fiery demon lord. She now had the leverage she needed to enact her plan. "Sesshoumaru, I don't want you to kill Kikyo." She stated flatly.

A hint of confusion swirled in the golden eyes before her, but Sesshoumaru remained quiet.

"We aren't all blood thirsty killers like yourself." Kagome explained. "I don't want Kikyo to die. You aren't getting your sword back until you can promise me that you won't kill Kikyo."

A look of derision crossed over the handsome youkai's features, clearly conveying just what Sesshoumaru thought of the miko's plan.

"Look," she started, a hint of anger touching her voice, "you don't have to kill Kikyo. Couldn't you just, I don't know, maim her or something? I don't need all of my soul back, just some of it." She tried reasoning with the demon.

Sesshoumauru's eyes pierced the miko's own with an unequivocal 'NO!'

"Fine, then we can just wait here until they wake up." Kagome flicked her ebony locks over her shoulder, and stared down at the unruly demon before her. "It should be soon, anyway." She taunted. "Inuyasha usually wakens at dawn."

Kagome's words touched a nerve within Sesshoumaru. But, before he could pummel the object of his current rage, his attention was drawn to the slumbering occupants of the room. Turning with growing alarm, her looked to Inuyasha's prone form and watched as the hanyou took his first few breaths within the land of the conscious.

He had waited too long.

Inuyasha stirred and sat up, his face mere inches from Sesshoumaru's knee. Like a bucket of cold water, the sight Sesshoumaru mere inches from his face, brought the hanyou to an abrupt awareness. Picking up Kikyo, he jumped across the room, putting distance between himself and his older brother.

"Sesshoumaru!? What the fuck are you doing here?" Inuyasha's voice rang across the silence, successfully shattering the stillness that had previously engulfed the room. With his shout, the undead priestess in his arms awoke and took up an uneasy stance behind her lover. After the defeat of Naraku, things between the brothers had come to an uneasy peace, although suspicions still ran high on both sides.

"My presence here has nothing to do with you, stupid hanyou." Sesshoumaru replied coolly. Never taking his eyes from Inuyasha's form, he slid a glance to the phantom miko at his side. "I need my sword."

"What the fuck, Sesshoumaru. I ain't ever givin you Tetsusaiga!" Inuyasha dropped to a crouch ready to defend himself and his mate.

Kagome startled. While Inuyasha didn't know it, that statement had been directed at her. Sesshoumaru wasn't interested in Tetsusaiga, he needed Tenseiga. Quickly turning to the demon lord she said:

"Sesshoumaru, we've been through this, I am not giving you Tenseiga until I have your word that Kikyo will remain alive."

"Fine, have it your way." Sesshoumaru replied ambiguously.

Inuyasha thinking the comment had been directed at him, crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. "Keh, it's about fuckin time you realized I'm the master here." However, Inuyasha still wasn't convinced. When had Sesshoumaru _not_ been interested in Tetsusaiga? "You sure you're not after Tetsusaiga?" suspicion crept into his voice, as he unfolded his arms slightly.

Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru, trying to decipher whether or not that last statement had been directed at her or at Inuyasha. "Sesshoumaru, if that's you going along with my plan, I'll need you to be more clear on that. Shouldn't you say something like 'I give you my word.' or something like that?"

Sesshoumaru grimaced inwardly. The girl was giving him no leeway. "I give you my word." He gritted out.

Inuyasha grinned, thinking that Sesshoumaru had finally acknowledged him as the rightful owner of Tetsusaiga. However, those comments had a completely different effect than the one assumed by the hanyou. Sesshoumaru's comments weren't acknowledging Inuyasha's ownership, but rather, reclaiming Tenseiga from a prank-pulling miko. Sesshoumaru's words met the miko's stipulations, so now Kagome had no recourse but to return Tenseiga to Sesshoumaru's waiting hands.

Sliding her hands over her chest, she made a rift over her diaphragm. Pushing her fingers through, Kagome opened a hole in her chest. She pointed to the now gaping hole in her chest. "It's in here." She said, as she averted her gaze.

_Clever, she hid the sword inside herself._ Sesshoumaru thought, reaching his hand across and pressing it into her bosom. When he felt the hilt of Tenseiga grace his hand, he began to pull the sword free of its human sheath. He paused only slightly when he felt Kagome's hands wrap around his own, helping him remove the sword. Kagome arched back, revealing more and more of the sword. When half the sword was revealed, Sesshoumaru glanced to Kagome's face for any signs of discomfort or pain. However, there was nothing of the sort. She looked calm and composed. As he looked upon the ethereal picture before him a shiver stole over the demon lord. It was as if he and Kagome were entwined together in some deadly tango, Kagome's body artfully dipped back as she received his ministrations like the caress of a lover.

To the two onlookers, it appeared merely as though Sesshoumaru had slipped a hand into empty space and drawn out Tenseiga, although that was odd enough by itself. Needless to say, both Kikyo and Inuyasha were surprised to say the least. Finding his voice, Inuyasha stammered out:

"Wh-what brings you here then, _brother_?" Regaining his confidence with each word, Inuyasha spat out the word 'brother' as a poorly veiled insult.

With the tip of Tenseiga freed, Sesshoumaru flicked the sword in a smooth arc, turning to fully face the hanyou and his Kikyo. With a smirk dancing across his hard features, he pinned both the hanyou and the priestess with his stare.

"I have come to kill Kikyo." came his cool reply.

"WHAT?!" erupted Inuyasha, crouching before Kikyo in a protective stance.

Kagome also was shocked by the demon lord's response. "Sesshoumaru, you gave me your word." She said hotly, a note of demand in her tone.

Sesshoumaru smirked as his took a step towards his prey. He had no intention of leaving the undead bitch alive. If Kagome insisted on holding him to his word, he would just claim he had been talking to Inuyasha at the time. She had just assumed he was taking to her. While Sesshoumaru might be an honor-bound creature, he had entirely too much at stake to allow this Kikyo to go free.

Kikyo and Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru took another step, but then everything became a blur as both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru moved faster than their eyes could follow. The two girls heard the sickening crack of wood, as either Sesshoumaru or Inuyasha, one of the two, flung the other one into the side of the hut. In a crash, both men were outside, exchanging blows on the outskirts of the village.

Picking their way over the debris and destruction left in the brothers' wake, Kikyo and Kagome followed after the two embroiled brothers. As the two made there way deeper into the surrounding forest, Kikyo's gentle cry rang in Kagome's ears.

"Inuyasha?" tentatively seeking out the hanyou, Kikyo strained her eyes to make sense of the blurs before her.

"Kikyo, stay outta this!" Inuyasha yelled back, hoping to put distance between his mate and Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru snarled. He could tell Inuyasha was trying to lure him away from his intended target, but it would not work. Dashing to his left, he spotted an opening in Inuyasha's defense. Lunging forward with Tokijin, he unsettled the hanyou's balance, giving him enough time to break away for Kikyo.

Fear gripped the hanyou as he redirected his movements towards Kikyo. He could see the outline of her silhouette through the trees, within the clearing to the bone-eater's well. Silently offering a prayer to the gods, he broke through the line of trees. Training his eyes to his mate's form, he saw Sesshoumaru poised above her, Tenseiga ready to strike. Inuyasha turned his body, his muscles screaming in protest at the sudden change in velocity. Pumping his legs he dove to Kikyo's side, all the while eyeing Sesshoumaru's blade for an opening. As Sesshoumaru swung Tenseiga for the finally blow, Inuyasha jumped in front of Kikyo, twisting in mid-air so that the brunt of the attack fell upon his shoulders. Inuyasha grunted with the effort, but managed to stand his ground. Without delay, he scooped up Kikyo in his arms, and leapt out of harm's way.

While Sesshoumaru's blows still reigned down around him, a definite sense of relief washed over the hanyou at the feel of Kikyo within his arms. Fueled by adrenaline, the hanyou pounded the ground before him in a desperate attempt to escape the certain doom that raged just behind him, his mind frantic for an avenue of escape. When the bone eater's well came into his view, he considered it a godsend. Without a thought Inuyasha leapt into its cool depths.

_Aw shit. _ Inuyasha thought as he realized his mistake too late. He had jumped into the well on impulse, forgetting that it was Kikyo he had in his arms not Kagome. He had practically sealed their fates.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed, her worry momentarily pushing from her mind the futility of her actions. She saw Inuyasha jump into the well, realizing his error immediately. She saw the silvery blur follow behind them and cringed at thought of her friends, trapped, unable to fend off Sesshoumaru's coming attack.

The hum of intense magic resounded throughout the clearing followed by the distinct sound of metal blasting through wood. Kagome's knees gave out, her legs failing to support her in her grief. She stared listlessly at the patch of grass before her, unwilling to raise her eyes to the frame of the well, battered and broken from Sesshoumaru's attack. The wind rustled through the trees, playing across Kagome's exposed skin; however, the accompanying shudder when unnoticed by the distraught miko. Kagome was just about to put her thoughts in order when an unearthly howl cut across the clearing.

Racing to the well's edge, Kagome stared down into its shadowed depths. Sesshoumaru's pair of blood-red eyes stared up at her, his fangs bared in feral rage.

"Sesshoumaru?" she began timidly, not really wanting to garner the attention of the seething demon lord.

Sesshoumaru continued to stare at her as sanguine colored eyes, either not hearing or choosing not to acknowledge her. When he didn't respond, Kagome took it upon herself to survey the damage below her. The well lay in ruins; the infrastructure distorted beyond recognition or repair; the frame utterly destroyed. The only remnant of the well that remained intact was the small three foot by three foot patch of dirt at the bottom, and even that was cluttered with debris. However, as she looked over the wooden debris littering the bottom of the well, something was wrong. Two things were missing, most notably the forms of Inuyasha and Kikyo. They were gone. Kagome's wide eyes scoured the bottom of the well searching for the remains of her one-time companions, but they were nowhere to be found. _Oh my God, _Kagome's mind whirled, _they passed through the well!_

Kagome turned her attention back to the demon lord. She could see that the beast's rage had been unleashed in its entirety. Sesshoumaru's fury swirled about him; his wrath hung thick in the air. Kagome felt stifled. Her breath constricted. Forcing the air out of her lungs, she breathed:

"Sesshoumaru, what happened?"

Sesshoumaru's growls grew louder as if to reproach the miko for her asinine question. It was obvious. Kikyo and Inuyasha had passed through the well.

"How?" The question rolled off her tongue just as it tumbled through the miko's mind. It was the only question she could think to ask. _How could Inuyasha and Kikyo pass through the well? _It was an established fact that Inuyasha could pass through the well, but Kikyo? The Shikkon jewel was gone, wished out of existence, so how was Kikyo able to pass through the well?

All of a sudden, it was crystal clear. _My soul_. Her soul was what allowed Kikyo to pass through the well. _All this time we had thought it was the Shikkon no Tama that allowed me to cross over, but that wasn't it. It was my soul_

Answering her own question, Kagome focused her eyes once again on the demon lord's livid form. She needed a way to calm Sesshoumaru, a way to reach the rational portion of his mind. Taking a deep breath to calm her own frayed nerves, she tried to exude calm, her cerulean gaze never once leaving Sesshoumaru's still form.

"It's okay Sesshoumaru. I don't really need that soul back. Perhaps I can get another one, a better one." Her last statement came out more as a question than statement.

Kagome's words set off something primal within Sesshoumaru. Shooting up from his position at the bottom of the well, he loomed over the now terrified miko. Kagome heard the distinct hiss of metal. Tenseiga pressed against her throat. Her breath ran shallow. With each rise and fall of her chest, she felt Tenseiga dig further into the skin at her neck. Without thinking, she raised an unsteady hand to her cut, a slick wetness coating her fingers, _her blood._ Fear rose in the back of her throat like bile. The whites of her eyes flashed in the morning light as terror overtook the miko.

"Sesshoumaru…?" Her voice trembled, the motions of her Adam's apple causing Tenseiga to slice deeper. A deep-rooted fear settled within the pit of Kagome's stomach.

"Miko," Sesshoumaru's light tenor breathed into her ear. His tone elicited in Kagome the most terrible images, even as her body shivered with perverse pleasure at Sesshoumaru's unwelcome nearness. His light breathy whisper continued to dance across her earlobe, enchantingly condescending with promises of immeasurable pain and torture. It sent a dreadful thrill through the miko. "You dare think that you are the only one affected by the hanyou's wish?" Sesshoumaru repeated his voice louder, more vicious. "You have the audacity to think that you are the only one affected by the hanyou's wish?" He practically growled at her.

Kagome stilled. Her mind wrapped around his words, searching for meaning. Sesshoumaru was saying that at least one more was affected by Inuyasha's wish, but who? In her mind, she went through all the names and faces of those she had met in the Sengoku Jidai, but none of those faces held even a remote connection to the demon lord behind her. Then it hit her. The image of a small girl floated on the surface of her mind's eye. The image of a small girl, with dark hair, that followed after the taiyokai. _Oh my god._ Kagome worked her jaw several times, willing her vocal chords to speak. Her garbled whisper filled the air:

"Oh my god, Rin."

The name of his faithful retainer restored some of Sesshoumaru's dwindling control. The red seeped from his eyes, replaced by gold. Easing Tenseiga away from the miko's tender neck, he released the miko from his hold.

Kagome turned to face the demon, with a thousand questions perched upon her full lips. For the second time that day, the foremost of those questions was 'How?' How could Rin be affected? How were they supposed to get a soul for both Kagome and Rin? And what about Kikyo? She needed a soul too. How were they supposed to fix this? These questions and more echoed throughout her head, demanding answers. Rubbing her temples in confusion, Kagome raised her head to looking for those answers in the eyes of the demon before her.

As she stared, she saw the same confusion mirrored in his golden eyes. They were both without the answers they needed. Neither knew the correct course of action. Feeling frustrated and overwhelmed, Kagome averted her eyes from Sesshoumaru's intense gaze. It was too much like looking upon her own shortcomings and failures. Looking upon the early morning calm of the surrounding forest, Kagome tried to sort through her tumultuous thoughts. While her mind flitted from one idea to another, it kept returning to the one thought: they needed answers. For that, there was one person that stood out in her mind.

"We need to talk to Kaede." She said stoutly, turning her steps towards the village proper once more. When a flash of silver fluttered into her peripheral vision, the young miko sighed with relief. At least, she wouldn't be doing this alone. Sesshoumaru would be her companion. That thought brought a small smile to Kagome's face.

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Okay, that's it for today. Please (pretty please with a cherry on top) read and review.


	5. Behind Door 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha… still.

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"We need to talk to Kaede." She said stoutly, turning her steps towards the village proper once more. When a flash of silver fluttered into her peripheral vision, the young miko sighed with relief. At least, she wouldn't be doing this alone. Sesshoumaru would be her companion. That thought brought a small smile to Kagome's face.

…………………………………………………

Kagome and Sesshoumaru stepped out of Inuyasha's forest, and began along the path to Kaede's village. Kagome crested the last hill before the village. The scenery before her gave her pause, as she watched the rosy fingers of dawn bathe the town before her in a soft sienna. As she passed by various huts, Kagome looked on as the villagers began to stir, starting on the tasks for the day. Mr. Kobayashi, still drowsy with sleep, shuffled to his log pile to gather a few logs against the winter cold; Mrs. Matsuda prepared food for her family's breakfast, while her children ran around her feet; Widow Ito, carefully swept around her house. When Kagome rounded the corner at the widow's house, she stepped between two huts, directing Sesshoumaru to Kaede's hut on the left. Turning to the demon lord, Kagome nodded her head slightly in the direction of Kaede's doorway.

"Kaede-sama." The demon lord's tenor pierced through the stillness, alerting the older woman inside the hut to his presence.

Kagome's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the civility in Sesshoumaru's tone. _Kaede-sama?_ Thought Kagome, impressed with the demon's choice of a formal address. Inuyasha had never been so generous in his address; his lack of respect never sat well with the younger miko. However, it seemed at least in this case, that good manners were not lost on this brother. Needless to say, Kagome was relieved at the prospect of being able to travel with someone who had a sense of propriety. A soft smile graced the miko's lips Kagome.

Sesshoumaru saw the miko's surprise at his words. _She has spent too much time with that insolent hanyou if she thinks that all those of the Inu-taisho household would fall into the same uncultured category._ An invisible sneer flitted across Sesshoumaru's stark features, as he quietly cursed Inuyasha and his foul mouth.

However, Sesshoumaru's thoughts paused, when the door flap before him moved to the side. The old woman stood in the doorway, a veiled wariness lacing her gaze at the demon lord's unexpected and unannounced arrival. Inviting Sesshoumaru inside, she motioned for him to find a seat around her humble hearth. As Sesshoumaru settled himself around the comfort of the fire, he was privy to Kagome's movements as she slipped into the room and knelt beside him. The fact that Kaede was oblivious to Kagome's presence did not escape the demon lord.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," she spoke in a weathered voice, never once removing her eyes from his hardened face, "to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" Kaede picked her words carefully, not wanting to anger the taiyokai with a flippant remark. Even if Inuyasha had 'settled' their differences, she was not fool enough to give Sesshoumaru cause to fight.

Sesshoumaru flicked his golden gaze from the hearth before him to the figure of the old lady, as she took up a position across from him, her posture a mixture of wariness and respect. Inwardly, he was pleased at Kaede's display of respect. However, returning his mind to Kaede's question, he answered:

"We have come for information."

At his answer, Kaede's well-lined forehead creased in confusion. "We?" She asked to the lone demon before her. She had thought the demon had traveled alone.

"Yes we," he paused, "Kagome and I have come for information."

The lines of confusion on Kaede's brow deepened. _How could Kagome be alive? _Kaede's mind reeled with the possibilities. However, she didn't have to wait long before the demon lord continued with his explanation.

"Two days ago, an incompetent imbecile wished for the life of an undead whore. In order to resurrect that bitch the jewel took two souls. One of them was Kagome's, and the other was… Rin's."

Both Kagome and Kaede started at the rough quality in Sesshoumaru's tone when he uttered his charge's name. Such an uncharacteristic display of emotions in the taiyokai served as a testament to his profound grief. Sesshoumaru paused in his explanation, fixing his eyes on the embers of the hearth before him. The tilt of his head cast a deep shadow over his eyes, as his ivory features were lit with the fiery glow of the embers below him. His shoulders sagged slightly as the oppressive weight of failure pressed upon the demon lord's lithe form.

In an effort to lessen the growing tension, Kaede redirected the demon lord's attention. "You said that Kagome, and presumably Rin, are not dead?" Her question cut across the pressure, successfully prompting the demon to continue.

"When Inuyasha made his wish, the jewel took two souls. Without their souls, Rin and Kagome became phantoms." He said bluntly.

"Hmmm strange." Kaede's quiet voice broke over the dim crackle of the fire. Pacing around the hut, she muttered to herself, the confusion in her tone mirroring the jumbled state of her mind. "Why would the jewel need both Kagome's soul and Rin's soul to make Kikyo whole? It should have only needed one: one soul, one body. So why would the jewel need two souls?" Kaede poured out her thoughts to the air, as if the act of voicing her ideas aloud would reveal some answers.

Suddenly, Kaede stopped. "Unless," she paused, "unless it wasn't two souls, but one soul."

From the knowing look on Kaede's face to the wide-eyed stare of the miko beside him, it was obvious that both the older woman and the miko beside Sesshoumaru understood the implications of Kaede's cryptic statement. However, those revelations were lost on the demon lord.

"Human, you will explain what you mean by this." Sesshoumaru commanded with a sharp growl.

At Sesshoumaru's words, Kaede abandoned her pacing and returned to her seat before the fire. Her piercing eye once more rested on the demon lord's terrible form, as her age-wearied voice filled the tiny space.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," she paused unsure of how to continue, "Kikyo's soul, Kagome's soul, Rin's soul… they are all the same soul in different times. Kikyo was the representation of that soul 50 years ago. When she passed her soul was imbibed in others, eventually coming to your charge. Now, Rin is the manifestation of the present day. Finally, 500 years from now, in a time that has yet come to pass for us, Kagome will be the future manifestation. In other words, Kikyo was its past; Rin is its present; and Kagome will be its future."

Kagome started at the old woman's mention of her name. While she had been listening intently to Kaede's explanation, she had to admit that it was slightly unnerving to hear someone talking about her in the future tense. However, Kagome shook off those uneasy feelings, and returned her attention to Kaede as the old woman continued.

"Under normal circumstances, those three would never have existed on the same plane at the same time, but Urasue's resurrection and Kagome's time-traveling abilities upset this balance. With that, it was possible for Kikyo, Rin, and Kagome, the same soul housed in different bodies, to meet."

Having concluded her explanation, Kaede settled into a more comfortable position about the fire in preparation for what would undoubtedly become a lengthy meeting. Stretching out her worn hands towards the warmth of the hearth before her, her arms creaked with age just as the wood below her creaked with a shift in her weight.

Distantly, Sesshoumaru heard Kaede's movements. While instinctively his mind classified it as the sound of joints popping and creaking wood, he spared the older woman's movements little thought as his mind worked furiously to analyze the information he had just received. _Rin, Kagome, and Kikyo… they were all the same soul. That provides answers as to why the jewel took the soul from both Kagome and Rin. _He continued his thought process. _But now, the question is what to do about it, and how do we go about fixing it?_ While he didn't care about restoring the miko beside him, he had a keen interest in returning Rin to the land of the living. With that in mind, he addressed the older woman.

"Kaede," Sesshoumaru began, "it seems we have a pressing need to find some souls." His eyes glinted with a feral edge at the prospect of 'commandeering' the soul of some unsuspecting fool.

Kagome, who had turned her attention to the demon lord, noticed the savage tint in his gaze. She could easily trace his thoughts, and mentally she shuddered. However, at the same time, she was certain that just stealing another human's soul wouldn't work. With that thought, Kagome opened her mouth for the first time during that meeting.

"Sesshoumaru," came a quiet voice his left. At the sound of his name, Sesshoumaru turned his head to meet Kagome's startling eyes. With her unusual silence, he had almost forgotten she was there. When Sesshoumaru's molten eyes met her own, Kagome felt her pulse speed up as she fought down a sudden wave of nervousness. She had always found it difficult to maintain her composure under his piercing stare. _Although, I am probably not alone in that regard, _the thought bubbled up. She had noticed how Kaede, or indeed anyone or anything on God's green earth that loved life, would cringe under the taiyokai's gaze. Reigning in her wayward emotion, Kagome continued.

"Sesshoumaru, stealing another human's soul and putting it in Rin isn't going to work. Or at least, it isn't going to be permanent. Kikyo tried the same thing, and in order to survive she constantly needed more souls. You couldn't ask Rin to live a life feeding off stolen souls, could you?" The tone in Kagome's voice clearly told the demon lord that if he answered 'yes' to her question, he would cease to be worthy of even the slightest respect. Tilting her head in characteristic defiance, her cerulean eyes flashed dangerously, as if daring the bastard before her to answer in the affirmative.

Sesshoumaru flicked his gaze from the miko's delicate features to the crackling fire before him, a slight scowl settling upon his usually stoic face. Anger stirred within his chest. He was frustrated indeed. Frustrated that his suggestion had been so quickly tossed aside, but even more so, he was frustrated with himself at his lack in foresight. _How could I miss such a glaring flaw? How could have even conceived of such a plan? How could I have put Rin in such a position? _A growl reverberated in Sesshoumaru's chest, reprimanding the demon lord for his lapse of judgment. It was unacceptable. Furthermore, the fact that the young miko had witnessed it, indeed recognized the plan's flaws, made it all the more intolerable. Sesshoumaru's growl deepened, rumbling throughout the small room.

Kagome started at Sesshoumaru's vehemence. His warning rang across her senses, reverberating throughout her entire being. Sparing a quick glance at Kaede, Kagome noticed that she too looked anxious about Sesshoumaru's current mood. At first, Kagome thought his anger was directed at her insolence. However, when she fixed her clear eyes on the demon lord's handsome features, she noticed the slight scowl upon his lips, his eyebrows drawn in consternation, and his distant eyes. Puzzled at Sesshoumaru's uncharacteristic display of emotions, Kagome scooted closer, her knee brushing up against the smooth fabric of his hakama. Slowly raising her head, Kagome fixed her cool eyes upon Sesshoumaru's molten orbs, and all at once she felt herself get lost in that heated gaze. Lit from below by the hearth's flames, Sesshoumaru's eyes blazed with a terrible brilliance, searing the miko with its intensity, as if the very fires of hell danced within his gaze.

Captivated, a strange fascination took hold of Kagome as she looked upon the face of the hell spawn before her. The purple crescent on his forehead shone black against the orange tint of his ivory complexion; while the lines that graced his prominent cheek bones stood stark, as if gouged into his skin. Entranced, Kagome recalled a time when she had looked upon the same face and mistaken this being for a wandering angel. Now, however, that seemed the farthest from the truth.

_This is no angel._ Her mind told her, as she directed her eyes once more to the smoldering depths of Sesshoumaru's molten orbs. When her eyes once more alighted upon the demon lord's striking eyes, she saw that his gaze was directed inwards. A small gasp escaped the miko's lips as the realization hit her. _He's angry at himself._ In that instance, all of Kagome's earlier defiance, all of her fear, left her in a rush to be replaced with a growing sense of compassion. _He's beating himself up for failing to anticipate all the implications of his earlier suggestion. _Even as Kagome realized this, she wondered at the demon before her, to be so concerned with perfection.

Having figured out the cause for Sesshoumaru's apparent anger, Kagome redirected her thoughts to diffusing the situation at hand, and to do that, they would need a solution.

"Kaede," the miko's quiet voice broke through the tension that had enveloped the room. "What if we um… took back some of the soul from within Kikyo?" She phrased her question with careful consideration for the older woman before her. After all, Kagome didn't want to be the one to rob Kaede of her sister for a second time.

Kagome waited patiently for the old woman's wisdom. However, as the seconds dragged on, Kagome realized that she had forgotten that Kaede couldn't hear her. _Good job, Kagome… _she thought with a small laugh at her expense. With a slight sigh, Kagome directed her question through Sesshoumaru who relayed the question to Kaede.

With the promise of a possible solution, both the miko and the demon lord fixed their keen eyes upon the older woman. Kaede sighed heavily, "I am afraid that that plan will not work. Kikyo is the oldest reincarnation, and as such that soul will have recognized her as its keeper. What has been done can not be undone."

A shadow passed over Kagome's eyes as Kaede pronounced her doom. _If we can't undo Inuyasha's wish then…_ she let her thought remain unfinished, unwilling to acknowledge the reality that she would never see her friends and family again. Images of her family, her mom, Souta, and gramps passed over her minds eye, as a keen prick occupied the space where her heart used to be. Even in her own sadness, she couldn't help but think of the young yukata-clad girl that shared a similar fate.

When Sesshoumaru heard Kaede counsel against the second idea, his mind reluctantly returned to what seemed to be their only option to restore Rin and Kagome. Although he had tried all along to avoid this option, it was their last hope. With a sense of dread, Sesshoumaru inclined his head to speak of their third option.

"There is another way to procure souls…" A hushed silence crept into the room falling heavy about the occupants of the room, as if the shadow of death had passed over the hut and held it within its grasp. Sesshoumaru paused, his voice grave. With growing reluctance, Sesshoumaru uttered the one place that even he, the Taiyokai of the West, was loath to travel:

"The Land of the Dead."

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A.N. A big thank you to Jupe who caught my mistake in this chapter . Sometimes it sorta slips my mind that Kagome is a phantom, and I forget about the limitations that I have placed on her character for the time being.

A.N. Sorry this is kinda a shortie and a terrible place to end chapter 5, but I wanted to get something out to you, my lovely readers. (If you want more, I can always be persuaded by reviews to forego sleep)

Next chapter should prove to be quite a chapter as Sesshy and Kags embark on a journey to the Land of the Dead… but wait, how are they going to get there? And what about Inuyasha and Kikyo are they still in the future? What about Rin? How does she take being a phantom? What about Kagome and her stalwart companions, Shippou, Sango, and Miroku… all that and more, next time. ;)

I wanted to give a big shout out to those of you who have reviewed my story, thank you, thank you, thank you  Big hearts to you all!!


	6. The Plot Thickens

Disclaimer: If owning Inuyasha were horses, I'd still have none.

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"There is another way to procure souls…" A hushed silence crept into the room falling heavy about the occupants of the room, as if the shadow of death had passed over the hut and held it within its grasp. Sesshoumaru paused, his voice grave. With growing reluctance, Sesshoumaru uttered the one place that even he, the Taiyokai of the West, was loath to travel:

"The Land of the Dead."

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Sesshoumaru took in the responses to his startling proclamation. He watched as a wary knowledge settled about the old woman's face. He saw a startled expression flit over the younger miko's expressive orbs. Of the two, it was the pair of blue eyes that captured his attention. They bored into his own, unnerving the demon lord with an overwhelming sense of urgency. An unknown feeling began to settle within the demon lord's chest. While he attributed the uncomfortable feeling to the miko's unwarranted nearness, he found the fear and confusion in her delicate features to be somewhat unsettling.

Averting his eyes from her troubling gaze, Sesshoumaru took a small breath in preparation to continue his explanation. Choosing his words carefully, Sesshoumaru began:

"The Land of the Dead is divided into two parts: the Blessed Fields of Elysium and the Haunted Marshes of the Condemned. We will need to go to the Fields of Elysium, for it is there that the untouched souls are harvested and housed."

Sesshoumaru carefully avoided the topic of the Condemned Marshes. While he could see in Kaede's wary gaze that the old woman had an inkling of the terrors that waited in the dark, he had no desire to utter aloud what fell creatures lurked in the dank of that abyss. Sesshoumaru mentally shuddered, the images of his previous forays to the Underworld rising unbidden within his mind. Even as he strove to drive the unwanted visions from the depths of his mind, the visage of the damned, the soulless, and the hopeless played across his inner-eye. _Yes,_ his mind taunted him, _you know the denizens of the deep. You know that the marshes are home to those damned in this life and those without a soul._

Sesshoumaru silenced that inner voice with the comfort that he and Kagome would not need to go anywhere near the marshes. They could avoid that cesspool entirely on their way to the fields.

Turning once again to the miko beside him, Sesshoumaru took in the miko's countenance. She looked stunned, but he could see in the swirling of her cerulean orbs that her mind was working furiously to absorb his explanation.

Kagome, for her part, was shocked to say the least. She opened her mouth to speak, but only the slight sound of her breath left her mouth. Shutting her mouth, Kagome struggled to put her thoughts to words.

"How are we going to get there?" asked Kagome breathily, after finally finding her voice. Her question brushed over Sesshoumaru's ears like a light whisper.

Returning his voice to his usual reserved tone, Sesshoumaru answered. "Miko, didn't this Sesshoumaru already tell you once that it is only natural that the master of Tenseiga be able to sense that which is connected to it?" A certain derision colored his tone at having to answer the miko's asinine question. "The answer should be obvious; we will use the sword to get there." He finished with a tone of finality.

Kagome almost, almost rolled her eyes at the demon lord's obscure statement. _As if his answer explained anything._ Her mind thought glibly. Even after his 'explanation' she still had no idea how they were going to get to the Underworld. All she had to go off of was his terse comment that it was somehow connected to his sword.

Sighing, Kagome tried approaching the topic from a different angle. "Okay," Kagome gritted out between her teeth, trying to stay calm and keep the irritated edge out of her voice. "How will getting a new, unused soul help either Rin or me?"

Sesshoumaru turned and peered down disdainfully at the miko beside him. "You are the miko here, woman. Do not question me about transferring souls. You should already know how to do that." He said coldly.

"WHAT?" Kagome yelled at the demon lord. "What do you mean I should already know how to transfer souls?" Kagome's angry tone ricocheted through Sesshoumaru's finely tipped ears. However, at the demon lord's continued silence it became more and more obvious to the young miko that the frustrating Sesshoumaru was pointedly ignoring her. _Ugh! Could he be more uncooperative?! _Mentally Kagome screamed. _If Mr. Walking-Taking-Ice-Box utters just one more cryptic explanation… _she left the end of that thought blank as her mind conjured up the multiple ways to torment the frustrating demon lord.

While Kaede was not privy to whatever had prompted the demon lord to speak, she had heard his comment about 'mikos' and 'knowing how to transfer souls.' She assumed that the question had come from Kagome. However, as the demon lord continued his silence, it became increasingly more apparent that Sesshoumaru was not going to answer the question. With a sigh, Kaede began to speak.

"Kagome, my child," she began tentatively, experiencing some difficulty at having to address someone that she couldn't actually see.

At the sound of her name spoken by the older woman, Kagome ceased her current rant and turned her rapt attention to Kaede, awaiting her explanation.

"Kagome," Kaede paused, somewhat uncertain of how to continue, "where you are going, your miko powers will have a certain sway over the spirits of the underworld, including the pure souls that Sesshoumaru mentioned. While it is a difficult technique to explain, when the time comes, you will know what to do. Just follow your instincts."

Kagome stared at the old woman in disbelief. She had expected meager explanations from Sesshoumaru. _But from Kaede?! Kaede never gives terse explanations. _Her mind declared. Suddenly, Kagome had an overwhelming desire to laugh out loud. She was being asked to travel in an unspecified manner with an unruly demon lord to the Land of the Dead, to accomplish a task that she could only supposedly do, according to somebody else's word. The situation was absurd. _Yes, _Kagome thought to herself, _either I have lost my sanity, or this is somebody's idea of a cruel joke._

However, her fantasies were short lived. The grave looks on the two faces before her told her in unequivocal terms that she had neither lost her mind nor been subject to a cruel joke. This was her own special fate; a special fate to share with the unyielding demon lord. A deep sigh escaped from Kagome's parted lips. She had no other choice. If she and Rin were ever to become human again, she would have to follow Sesshoumaru's plan.

"Okay," came Kagome's quiet but firm reply. With that single word, Kagome expressed to Sesshoumaru her willful compliance. However, even as she offered her abilities to the demon lord's plan, she couldn't help the shudder that passed through her body at the feeling that with a single word she had signed her life away to a worse fate.

Sesshoumaru's ears twitched at the sound of the miko's acquiescence. While there was nothing in his face to belie his feelings, the look in his eyes told Kagome to prepare to leave, and to do it _quickly._

Gathering his long legs from beneath him, Sesshoumaru rose to his intimidating height, and headed for the door. However his progression was stopped when a raven-haired monk popped his head in.

"Kaede-sama?" The monk yelled into the confines of the room, as his colorful eyes sought out the old woman's form. They had come for their typical mid-morning meeting with the old woman. Seeing Kaede by the fire of the hearth, he waited until his eyes had completely adjusted to the relative darkness of the room before stepping into its warm confines. That was when he noticed a second, rather unexpected presence in the room standing just to the left of the door.

"Sesshoumaru-sama." squeaked the monk in an almost inaudible whisper. Miroku stilled; his body tense and alert. Vaguely he felt a push from behind.

"Oomph, Miroku!" Came the complaint from both the demon exterminator and the young kit she held in her arms. "Why did you stand in the middle of the doorway like that?!" Sango finished as she moved to Miroku's side, carefully setting down the young fox demon. It was then that she realized why Miroku had come to such a sudden stand still.

"Sesshoumaru." The taijya's voice mimicked Miroku's previous statement.

A tense atmosphere surrounded the small hut, as the three companions frantically tried to comprehend what would bring the stoic demon lord into their midst.

Sesshoumaru, for his part, said nothing out-loud. However, inwardly he cursed the three interlopers for their terrible sense of timing. _This is going to make getting on our way much more difficult. _He groaned to himself, as he could see this impromptu visit turning into a very lengthy delay for him and his traveling companion.

Not wanting to garner any unwanted questions, Sesshoumaru remained still in the hopes that the new arrivals would forget about his presence and allow him to leave. However, his hopes were dashed when the runt spoke up.

"What're you doin' here?" Shippou's voice seemed to chase away the silence, even as the voice's own scampered about the room.

Sesshoumaru was torn. On one hand, he felt the pressing urge to 'instruct' the young kit in the proper way to address superiors, but on the other hand, he desperately wanted to leave. Weighing his options, Sesshoumaru decided on a quick, painless exit. He would reprimand the kit for his lack of respect after his current task was finished.

Or at least he would have been on his way had the old witch not decided to open her mouth.

"Sesshoumaru came to find out more information about how to restore Kagome." Kaede said quickly, hoping to both spare the young kit Sesshoumaru's wrath and answer his question at the same time. From the displeased look that Sesshoumaru shot in her direction, the old woman assumed that her admission had only serve to incense the situation.

However, at that point in time, Sesshoumaru's relative anger became a moot point, as the impact of Kaede's statement settled about the room. Suddenly, all three heads swiveled towards Sesshoumaru's form, their initial shock overriding their sense of self-preservation. With a rush of breath, three voices broke out all at once.

"What do you mean 'restore Kagome?"

"Kagome… did you say Kagome?"

"Sesshoumaru, what do you know about this?"

"How come we didn't know about this sooner?"

"Kaede, how long have you known… wait, just tell us what you know."

Sesshoumaru raised a clawed hand to his temple and gently began to massage the headache he could feel growing between his eyes. The questions practically poured forth incessantly from the group. However, underneath all that, a pleasant tinkling sound tickled at his ears. It was the miko's laughter. Turning towards the sound, he caught the cheerful smile upon her face and the mirthful look in her eyes. She was laughing at his expense!

_Has the whole room forgotten its station?_ The demon lord asked himself. _In an instant, I went from terrifying demon to being interrogated by Inuyasha's band of misfits_. _And now, the miko has the gall to laugh at this Sesshoumaru!_ Sesshoumaru dug his knuckle into his temple further, the beginnings of his headache now threatening to become a full-blown migraine. _I will most definitely be sure to repay the miko for today's frustrations. _He smirked inwardly, looking forward to engaging in his favorite form of stress relief: pummeling the phantom.

Just the thought of his new 'therapy' allowed the demon a moment of reprieve. However, just as he was about to get his frustration under control, two new scents graced his senses which brought his migraine to the fore: the earthy scent of forest mingled with decaying leaves.

_Inuyasha and Kikyo._

No sooner had his mind conjured up those names, than both Inuyasha and Kikyo burst onto the scene at the hut.

"SESSHOUMARU!!" Yelled the hanyou as he burst in through the door. "What the fuck are you still doing here?!" Inuyasha took up a defensive position in front of his mate, warily eyeing the demon lord. "You've got a lot of explaining to do, like as to why the hell you tried to kill Kikyo this morning, you fuck-head…" The tirade continued.

Sesshoumaru sighed almost as if in defeat. There was no way he was going to get rid of his headache, not with his idiot of a half-brother and his friends yelling his ears off. He failed to see how this could get any worse.

Then he heard it; at first faint then steadily louder. It was the sound of hurried feet pounding against the ground and the sound of panting breaths, all broken by an intermittent "Sesshoumaru-sama!", and it was headed this way.

_Jaken._ The reluctant realization came to Sesshoumaru even as the pungent smell of his faithful retainer filled his nose. Spreading his senses wider, he picked up traces of his two-headed beast. However, there was one scent that was conspicuously missing: Rin's. _Why would Jaken be here without—_but his question was cut off as his retainer burst into the room.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken's desperate voice wheezed with his recent efforts.

Sesshoumaru fixed the toad with one of his iciest stares, a sudden realization sending dread throughout the demon lord's body.

"Jaken," the chill death in his voice sent visible shivers up Jaken's spine, "were you not commanded to take care of Rin in my absence? Where is she?" The question was simple; however, the answer was difficult as it carried the potential for a slow and painful death.

Jaken swallowed hard, his adam's apple bobbing up and down conspicuously. "Well… um…that is to say…" Jaken stammered at he caught sight of the red seeping into his master's visage.

Sesshoumaru fixed his retainer with blood red eyes. "Jaken, you try my patience." He warned carefully, his silken voice laced with the promise of death.

Nervously, Jaken flicked his eyes about the room, as if in an effort to delay the impending doom, but at the tone in his master's voice, he answered, his voice wavering with in a tremulous whisper.

"She disappeared, my lord."

A strangled howl tore from the demon's throat. The pandemonium about the room ceased. No one stirred.

A rage like one he had never known sang through the demon lord's veins, threatening to boil over. Sesshoumaru just barely reigned in his beast. The fact that he needed the miko for the soul transfer was the only thought that him from brutally annihilating everyone in the room. _And if I murder all of her time-consuming, imbecile fuck-head friends, she might not be so willing to help me. _He snarled viciously at the effort of restraining his beast, as the all-too pleasing images of her friends' deaths filled his mind.

Sesshoumaru turned predatory eyes to the young miko. He would get answers, and he would get answers NOW. If she didn't have any answers for him, he would drag that phantom of a miko bitch to the other-side until he had some.

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A.N. I wanted to ask if you guys like shorter chapters, or longer ones. If I write shorter chapters, I can update more often. However, if I write longer chapters, you guys will get more of the story with each update. What do y'all think?

P.S. I promise that everything will be explained in time… it just might take some time. .


	7. Sesshoumaru, Power, Corruption

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

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"Rin disappeared, my lord."

With that one statement, a howl tore through Sesshoumaru's throat, and the pandemonium that had permeated the room now lay silent. The demon lord turned cruel eyes to the young miko.

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Faster than the eye could follow, Sesshoumaru crushed Kagome's back side against his hard chest, bringing Kagome's arm up with a sickening twist. "Kagome," Sesshoumaru choked out through gritted teeth, "if you value your sorry excuse for an existence you will explain to this Sesshoumaru how it is that YOU are still on this plane of existence when Rin is not?!"

Kagome shuddered, as she once again found herself at the whim of the volatile demon behind her. The power radiating off the being behind her was intense. As it rolled over her slight form in waves, Kagome couldn't help but think of the old adage: _Absolute power corrupts. _However, in this case, it was being applied to Sesshoumaru. As she contemplated just what corruption would mean at the hands of Sesshoumaru, seductive whispers stole across the miko's mind with new definitions of 'corruption:' _Corruption: a delightful act of debauchery to be eagerly sought after; an alluring state of moral depravation; etc._ Kagome shivered as images of the demon lord's handsome features passed through her minds eye. _If this is corruption,_ _then perhaps I wouldn't mind being corrupted? _Her mind questioned suggestively.

Shaking her head to try and clear her mind, inwardly, Kagome berated herself for her wayward thoughts. However, just as she began to focus her attention on the demon lord's question, Sesshoumaru wrenched her arm further behind her back.

Pain shot through Kagome's limb. _What the?!_ Kagome's mind struggled to grasp the reason behind that sudden sensation. Her thoughts crashed back into reality. Silently, Kagome ammended her previous thoughts: _I wouldn't mind being corrupted only so long as Sesshoumaru isn't an abusive prick! _Finally, Kagome focused her mind on the Sesshoumaru's question as to why Rin had dissappeared. Panting between breaths, Kagome gritted out through clenched teeth: "I—don't—know! I—don't—know! I—don't—AHHHH!" Kagome screamed at last as Sesshoumaru tightened his vise-like grip around her wrist. She could only assume by his actions he was not satisfied with her answer.

Squinting past her tears, Kagome craned her neck to look back at the demon behind her, and she regretted that decision. The dim light of the fire served only to reflect and amplify the dangerous red tint glowing within Sesshoumaru's eyes. The anger that burned there almost blinded the miko. But, it was when she could feel his hardened muscles quivering in suppressed rage that stopped the breath in her throat. _Not even Inuyasha or Naraku had such power, _she thought as she marveled at his incredible strength. However, even as she praised his power, she cursed its current hold over her.

Carefully watching the scene unfold before her, a sense of apprehension grew within the old woman Kaede. Gathering her strength, Kaede yelled to break the tension.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!"

At Kaede's outburst, Sesshoumaru turned his icy gaze to the older miko. His eyes clearly expressing to the old woman that she had better have a good reason for interrupting his interrogation.

Clearing her throat, Kaede continued in a quieter tone. "Sesshoumaru-sama, there is something maintaining Kagome's presence here."

"What do you mean?" Sesshoumaru asked, his voice controlled, but wary. Until Kaede explained, he refused to relinquish his hold upon the miko. He would keep her in that precarious position until he had some answers.

"I can sense that there is something within this room that is connecting her to this plane. However, I am not sure. I have sensed it ever since you entered into my hut with Kagome earlier this morning. While I do not know what has brought this about, we will have to ask the monk for more information." Turning her gaze to Miroku, she added: "Miroku, tell us what you see."

"Yes, Kaede-sama." Closing his eyes, Miroku exhaled deeply, calming his body for insight meditation. When he reopened his eyes, it was his inner eye that looked upon the room. Instead of a room lit with by a fire's warmth glow, around Miroku stretched a sea of grey mist. He was looking into the spirit world. Against that grey back-drop the ethereal forms of the occupants of the room became clearer. At his side he could see the ghostly outlines of Sango and Kaede wavering beside him; before him, stood the terrible form of the demon lord as he towered over Kagome's slight form. Inwardly Miroku winced at Kagome's arm pinned behind her back at an odd angle. Turning his eyes to Kagome, Miroku searched for the connection about which Kaede spoke. It was then that Miroku saw it.

A blue line, no thicker than his wrist, flowed from the hilt of Sesshoumaru's sword, a steady stream, feeding into and strengthening the miko's spirit. It flowed from Tenseiga straight into Kagome's diaphragm, like some sort of ethereal life line. However, he sensed yet another power. An ominous red in color, this second power crackled and sparked from yet another place at the youkai's side. However, unlike the blue stream that seemed to flow between the two, this power's connection seemed sporadic at best, only connecting with the miko occasionally when one a particularly strong surge of power caused one a spark to connect with the miko's spirit. From this, Miroku surmised that it was the blue power, the one radiated from Tenseiga that had established Kagome's link to the world.

Shocked at his discovery, the young monk's concentration broke; his vision wavered between that of reality and the shadow realm. When Miroku's vision returned completely, he immediately eyed the demon with a wary expression.

"Tenseiga is supplying the connection for Kagome to stay within this world." He began hesitantly, looking to see the demon lord's reaction. He wanted to say that he saw shock and surprise mirrored in Sesshoumaru's face, but it seemed to Miroku that the demon lord received the news with the same grace and poise as he always did.

However, Miroku's assumptions couldn't have been further from the truth. Inside, the demon lord seethed. _How many times did I think to bring Rin with me on the search for the miko?_ His mind raged, with all the fury of a full-blown tempest. _If I had just brought her with me… If I had just brought her with me, she would be here just as Kagome is here. _ At that, all clamor within his mind stilled, at the evidence of that foregone conclusion.

Sesshoumaru dazedly released the miko from her previous bind. Gathering his wits about him as they had been scattered on the four winds, his mind worked furiously. However, as his mind turned over possible solutions, he kept returning to the most immediate course of action. _I need to save Rin, NOW._ With his mind settled, he turned to pierce each occupant of the room with a cold stare.

"It is with utmost urgency that this Sesshoumaru departs." With that, Sesshoumaru took hold of Kagome's slender waist, and sprinted through the door.

Blinking, the occupants of the room remained dazed for a few moments as Sesshoumaru's sudden departure slowly registered within their minds. Almost as one, Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo raced to squeeze through the door at the same time.

When they reached the village square; however, not a trace of the demon or his companion were to be found. It was as if they had vanished.

……………………..

To Kagome, it felt as though in one instance she had been within the hut, and then in the next instance outside.

In the moment it took for the frosty bite of the outside air to fill her lungs, Sesshoumaru had drawn Tenseiga and sliced a seam through thin air. Clutching the miko close to his side, he jumped through the gash into the nebulous fog that awaited on the other side. They had passed through to the shadow realm.

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A.N. Thank you to all my readers. Please practice the 3R's: read, review, and… um recycle. I think it goes something like that anyway.

P.S. Wow, you guys are awesome!! More than 1,000 hits on my story thus far! I was so happy when that day dawned it felt like the first minute of summer vacation, just after the final bell has rung. (Now if only my reviews could reflect the number of hits… hint, hint, hint.) .


	8. Careful with That Arm

Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha it would be SessxKag. Since it's not, I guess it would be safe to assume that… I don't own Inuyasha.

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They had passed through to the shadow realm.

…………………………………….

Kagome gasped. Before her stretched the same village square she had left behind. Only this time, everything around her had a distinct ethereal feel. Colored in muted shades of grey, the huts passed over the miko's eyes like a shadow, flickering in and out of existence. Glancing to the forest beyond, the miko saw that the same lifeless scene reflected in the once vibrant forest.

As the novelty of her new surroundings settled within the miko's mind, a subtle tingling sensation around her waist drew her attention. Staring down, the image of Sesshoumaru's claws as they rested atop her hip met her eyes. Startled, the miko whipped her head to the left, her confused orbs catching with Sesshoumaru's amused ones. In all her musings, it was obvious that she had forgotten that Sesshoumaru had wrapped his arm around her in order to drag her to the spirit realm.

Inwardly Sesshoumaru chuckled. He could see the miko's confusion at how his arm got there, and how flustered she was at it still being there. It was as if by her eyes she was silently asking: _Now how did that get there? _While the blush that spread across her cheeks asked: _And is it going to stay there?_

Kagome recognized the brief flash in Sesshoumaru's eyes as amusement. In that moment, the reality of her situation, how she got here, and what she was going to do here, came crashing into the forefront of the miko's mind with a vengeance. Miffed that the demon lord could find anything funny about their current situation amusing, Kagome felt a gentle anger stirring within her chest. Setting her jaw, she fixed Sesshoumaru with what she hoped to be her coldest stare, and rattled off her uncertainties and her complaints.

"Sesshoumaru! How could you leave so quickly? You didn't even ask Miroku for more information; you just left!! What if the bond isn't permanent, what if it goes away? Did it ever cross your mind that it might be difficult to perform the soul transfer if I disappeared? Hmmmm?? Did you ever think about that?!" Kagome huffed, finally stopping to breath.

At the miko's tone, the amusement in his golden orbs flickered and died a quick death. "Kagome," he said, a dangerous tint to his voice, "do not make the mistake of assuming that this Sesshoumaru acted without thinking. As the master of Tenseiga, I know considerably more about the situation than you, and I have thought about this carefully. As long as we have this," he said patting Tenseiga, "you will remain by my side."

It wasn't until they reached this conversational stalemate that Kagome realized that Sesshoumaru's hand had still not left the top of her hip. Glancing around at anything but the demon lord before her, Kagome felt the blush in her cheeks spread down her neck.

Sesshoumaru's eyebrows rose slightly. Considering the amount of traveling she had done with Inuyasha, he found this girl's apparent innocence somewhat surprising. Filing that detail away, Sesshoumaru directed the conversation back to its original thread. "Resheathing the sword within you will strengthen the bond. With this inside you, you should have no fears of disappearing prematurely." With that, Sesshoumaru cleanly drew Tenseiga from its sheath and leveled the blade at Kagome's chest.

Nodding carefully, Kagome cautiously placed her delicate hands on either side of the sword's lethal edge, and began to guide the sword once more into her body.

A slight trepidation spread through Kagome at the sensation of Tenseiga slipping through her form. Fixing her eyes on Sesshoumaru's unwavering form, Kagome gained solace from the sense of strength and power mirrored there.

Sliding her hands down the blade, Kagome did not pause until her petite hands rested atop Sesshoumaru's own larger hand at the hilt. Gently disentangling Sesshoumaru's claws, Kagome readied herself to make the last push.

At the last of the hilt slid into her chest, a great pulse reverberated from her center outwards. _She had just pulsed._

Kagome gasped. Lifting a trembling hand to her chest, Kagome felt something she had not felt since that fateful day when Inuyasha had made his wish: _a heartbeat._ _She had a heartbeat._ Turning stunned eyes towards Sesshoumaru, she tried to read his guarded expression. Since she couldn't interpret any of the things she saw there, Kagome was unsure of what the demon lord thought. _Perhaps he was expecting this? _Her mind wondered.

That however was not the case. At the miko's unexpected pulse, Sesshoumaru fought to keep the shock reverberated through his very bones from showing in his face. He only succeeded by turning his shock into a wary suspicion.

Clearing her throat into the tense silence that had descended, Kagome opened her mouth as if to speak. But as she hinged and unhinged her jaw, the only sound was the rush of her exhaling breath. Kagome's mind whirled. _How am I going to explain this to Sesshoumaru? How can I say that the minute Tenseiga was in my body, I could feel a pulse, and that I am _still_ feeling a pulse?_ Kagome averted her eyes from the searching gaze of Sesshoumaru, not sure if she could even answer the questions she saw burning in his eyes.

Sesshoumaru for his part too remained speechless. Staring at the miko before him, his mind continued to roll over the event. _I felt her pulse once. It was distinct. As soon as that sword passed into her body, a beat pulsed through the air. _Confused at his sword's unexpected reaction, Sesshoumaru quietly conceded to himself that he might not know everything about that sword.

"Kagome." He said, finally breaking the silence.

At the sound of her name, he thought he saw the hand at her chest clutch tighter, but it could have been a trick of the fog. Walking towards the miko, he stretched his senses for anything amiss with the woman, scanning over her form with his eyes and scenting her out with his sensitive nose. Finding nothing wrong with her looks or her scent, he reached out to try and feel for any differences. Moving the hand from Kagome's chest back to her side, Sesshoumaru surreptitiously tried to feel out any changes within the miko. Again, he did not feel anything different.

Still suspicious, Sesshoumaru settled for eyeing the girl with a weird look before turning away. However, he promised to revisit this event. Until that time, he would keep a close eye on the miko in the following days for any other strange occurrences. _Although with her, there could be no telling_. His mind reminded him. He had only traveled with the miko a short time, and already he could tell that 'Kagome' was just another name for 'the mysteries of the universe.'

When Sesshoumaru approached and disentangled her hand from her blouse placing it at her side. Kagome grew more and more aware of the pulse coursing through her body. It felt as though it was leaping out of her body. Whether it increased from her own nervousness at Sesshoumaru's close proximity or her uncertainty about her new pulse, Kagome wasn't sure. However, given her heightened awareness of a pulse coursing through her body, she was certain that Sesshoumaru would sense it too. Needless to say, she was somewhat surprised at the demon lord's next words.

"Kagome, we leave now." He said without a backwards glace, striding towards the north end of Kaede's village.

Staring off at the retreating figure of the Lord of the West, Kagome was utterly baffled. His first words to her had been about their departure, and had nothing to do with whatever had just happened in the village square. _Why didn't he ask about the pulse?_ Her mind whirled trying to fathom the demon lord's cryptic behavior. There were only three real answers to that question. The first was that Sesshoumaru had expected that to happen, so he wouldn't ask about something that was supposed to be there. The second was that he couldn't sense the pulse, and didn't know to ask about it.

Of the two options, Kagome figured that number one was most plausible. She just couldn't see how Sesshoumaru with his demon senses could have missed her pulse. Her mind went over the events. _After the first pulse, I saw how Sesshoumaru looked at me. Given how closely Sesshoumaru inspected my after the first pulse, there couldn't be any way he could have missed it, could there? _With that thought still lingering in her mind, Kagome followed after her erstwhile companion.

………………………………….

A.N. 10 points to anyone who would like to send me their guesses as to what they think will happen .

P.S.S. I thought about putting in a 3rd option: Sesshoumaru finally understands 'the prank' and decides to get back at Kagome for her earlier prank. (But I kinda felt it didn't really fit with the mood at the end of the chapter so I left it out.) Haha, but a prank-master demon lord would be a force to reckon with…


	9. Land of the Dead

Disclaimer: I am not sure why I keep putting this in here, it's not like it ever changes or anything… but just to keep up appearances, it's the same as last chapter: I don't own Inuyasha.

…………………………………..

_After the first pulse, I saw how Sesshoumaru looked at me. Given how closely Sesshoumaru inspected my after the first pulse, there couldn't be any way he could have missed it, could there? _With that thought still lingering in her mind, Kagome followed after her erstwhile companion.

………………………………….

_Three hours in complete silence!_ Sesshoumaru's mind raved. The eerie silence of the shadow realm pressed in upon him, as if born upon the nebulous tendrils of the mist itself. _We've been trudging through this desolate place for three hours and the miko has yet to say anything!_ Usually one to enjoy a moment's quiet reverie, the demon lord wondered how this desire for traveling companionship came about. He had a distinct feeling it had to do with the Rin and her uncanny ability to sustain a conversation with the stoic taiyoukai.

Glancing to his left, he found the object of his current frustrations: Kagome. The desperate look in her eye told him that she was indeed pressed about some matter, but from the slight wrinkle of her brow and the way she teased her bottom lip with her teeth, Sesshoumaru could tell that she was doing her utmost to refrain from talking about it.

Therein lay the problem, as Sesshoumaru saw it. For the silence, coupled with the miko's obvious distress, was slowly eroding his composure. In other words, he needed the miko to talk, and he needed her to talk now. So, fixing his golden orbs upon the miko's slighter form, he tried to will the miko to words with his eyes.

Slowly, Sesshoumaru's stare seeped into Kagome's awareness, growing ever slightly more uncomfortable with each passing moment as the demon lord's piercing gaze rested upon her shoulders. Sufficiently distracted by Sesshoumaru's tactics, Kagome's attention shifted from thoughts of pulses and demon swords to the Lord of the West.

"Sesshoumaru?" Her questioning voice chimed through the clearing. "Where are we going?"

At the sound of his name, Sesshoumaru's eyes closed with pleasure as miko's musical voice washed over his body. To Sesshoumaru, that one phrase fell sweet from the miko's lips as it did away with the oppressive silence that cloaked the shadows. Then, filling the void with his own rich tenor, Sesshoumaru continued:

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru said, for the first time really tasting the miko's name on his tongue, "we are heading north. The dead marshes lie in the Kushiro marshes of Hokkaido." He explained. Then, in a more somber tone he added, "That is where we will find Rin."

Kagome stared after the demon in shock. While the hearing her name from Sesshoumaru's lips hadn't been particularly unusual, it was the way he said it that stopped Kagome in her tracks. She was almost positive she could feel the form of his mouth as it spoke those three syllables. _That's totally unfair!_ Kagome's mind pouted. _How can one demon have both the looks and the voice?!_

Sesshoumaru turned to the miko who now stood a few steps behind him. Her eyebrows were drawn down in slight consternation as she pouted, her lower lip extending out just slightly. Confused at the miko's sudden change in emotion, Sesshoumaru wondered at what could have caused Kagome to pout. _It is times like these that I wish I could read that little miko's mind._ Sesshoumaru's mind lamented, hoping for an easier way to understand the miko's changing emotions.

Sesshoumaru's eyes caught her own, a look of curiosity coloring his golden depths. A slight blush rose to Kagome's cheeks. _It's a good thing Sesshoumaru can't hear what I think._ Kagome thought lightly, an amused smile gracing her lips.

Shaking off her current train of thought, Kagome skipped up to the demon lord's side, settling into pace beside him. _If we really are going to _ _Kushiro_ _Hokkaido__, then we still have a looong way to go._ Kagome thought, picturing the immense distance between Inuyasha's forest and Japan's northern-most island.

…………………………………………..

Day passed into dusk which passed into early evening. To Kagome's eyes, the only visual marker of this passage of time was the darkening tint to the inky grayness that surrounded them.

As they wandered on into the night, it became harder and harder to distinguish between the ever present fog and the flickering impressions of their surroundings. Trees began to blur into that growing shadow, blending into a lifeless shade. Looking out upon that hazy darkness, a certain fear crept into the miko's chest. The threat of getting lost loomed over her head.

Thus, when the sound of Sesshoumaru's voice broke through the overwhelming monotony, it was with a slightly fearful gaze that Kagome's eyes met with Sesshoumaru's.

"Kagome, we will stop here for the night."

"Okay…" Kagome said hesitantly, somewhat confused as to why the demon lord felt the need to rest. However, her confusion must have manifested itself somewhere on her face, because he answered her unspoken question.

"Kagome," he said, a certain weariness coloring his voice, "it takes a great deal of energy for one such as myself to sustain my presence here in the realm of the dead, as I do not already have the luxury of being dead." His piercing eyes fell upon the ethereal form of the miko before him as he continued: "As such, we will need to make rest every day, in order for me to replenish my youki."

"Sesshoumaru…" Kagome began, a growing worry settling within her chest. "Does that mean there's a possibility you could disappear?"

Sesshoumaru smirked at the miko's concern. "Your worries are unnecessary. The power of this Sesshoumaru will not be so easily overcome. It is just this environment is more… tiring."

"Oh, okay." replied Kagome, shrugging off the concern that had gripped her momentarily. _I guess that's the closest I'll ever get to hearing a 'Don't worry' out of Sesshoumaru's mouth._ Mentally sighing, Kagome settled down under the tree next to Sesshoumaru's own, preparing to wait as the demon lord took his rest.

Within a matter of minutes, the demon lord fell into a light slumber. As she watched, Kagome felt the undeniable urge to snicker. Never before had the young woman been in a situation where she could claim abilities superior to a youkai. _If only Inuyasha could see me now!_ Her mind giggled, trying to imagine Inuyasha's disbelief at the 'weak Kagome' besting the infamous Sesshoumaru in sleep deprivation. _Ha!_ Her mind continued, _now that is something a girl can be proud of! Maybe I should try putting it on my resume when I get back: Outlasted The Sesshoumaru in Lack of Sleep!_

Reining her thoughts back in, Kagome turned her gaze towards the only tangible thing within her field of vision: Sesshoumaru's slumbering form. Sitting not just three feet from her, she noticed what a striking contrast his snow-white hair and pale complexion made against the blurred edges of the shadowy landscape. Smiling at the serene picture before her, Kagome felt a sense of tranquility wash over her. Kagome could feel her thoughts becoming sluggish and her limbs heavy as her pulse slowed. _I'll have to ask Sesshoumaru about my pulse in the morning…_ came her last coherent thought as Kagome too slipped off into the world of sleep.

………………………………………………………

Coming to slowly, Kagome woke in layers. The first thing her fog-filled mind noticed was the dull ache spreading up from her side. Confused and somewhat troubled by this discovery, Kagome doubled her efforts to break through that sleepy haze. That was when she became aware of a terrible commotion.

Snapping her eyes open, Kagome stared at the scene that met her eyes: before her lay Sesshoumaru, thrashing around fitfully across the forest floor. From where she sat, she could clearly see his eyes as they whirled behind closed eye-lids, hear his ragged breathing. At first, Kagome was inclined to believe it was just a nightmare, that was, until she heard him scream. Wrenched from his throat Sesshoumaru's howl lowered into a savage growl, as he clutched at his side, writhing in terrible agony.

_Oh my god! He's in actual pain!_ The realization hit Kagome. Frantic, Kagome searched for the cause of the demon lord's distress, but came up with nothing. She could see no visible wounds, and sense no visible enemies at all! As a growing concern filled the miko, she looked around for any means of calming the demon lord.

That was when she noticed it. Her side was drenched in an inky black substance. With trembling hands, Kagome grabbed the fabric at her left hip. Her mind froze as she pulled her hand away. It was covered in black blood.

"SESSHOUMARU!!" Kagome yelled, and it was in that instance that terrified blue eyes met strikingly lucid gold ones.

With speed that denied physics, Sesshoumaru was up and surrounded by the crackling power of his demon sword Tokijin. Dashing forward towards the miko's left side, he plunged his sword deep into the skull of the shadow beast that had latched onto Kagome. Turning to wipe his blade clean, Sesshoumaru stopped short at the sight that met his eyes: Kagome was oozing with black blood.

"Sesshoumaru, w-what's going on?!" came Kagome's tremulous voice. However, Kagome could barely hear it over the roaring of her pulse as it pounded within her chest.

While Kagome's question easily reached Sesshoumaru's sensitive ears, it never registered within Sesshoumaru's mind. Instead he stared, mesmerized by the black blood that seeped out of the young woman before him.

"Kagome," shock lined the delicate features of his face, "why are you bleeding black blood?"

Her brow furrowed in confusion, as she tilted her head at Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru," she scolded lightly, "you can't answer a question with a question." It was the only thing she could think to say amidst her jumbled thoughts.

"Oh." Sesshoumaru replied distantly, as he too tried to sift through the meaning of what just occurred. "A shadow beast had sunk its teeth into your side, so I killed it."

"I see," came Kagome's vague reply. She wasn't sure how she felt about shadow beasts latching onto her with their teeth, but she would have to address that some other time. Returning to Sesshoumaru's earlier question, she answered:

"I don't know why I am bleeding black blood. Maybe it has something to do with my pulse."

At that a note of uncertainty crept into Sesshoumaru's voice. "Your pulse, what pulse?"

"You know, the pulse that I got when I sheathed Tenseiga inside me. It's been beating ever since then. Even now I can feel it."

Taking the girl for her word, Sesshoumaru looked once again at Kagome's side. Each beat pulled at his thoughts, as if trying to convey its mysteries with each pulse. _Interesting,_ his mind supplied, _that rhythm is suspiciously similar to m---._ His heart stopped.

A fluttery feeling filled the miko. "See there, it skipped a beat," she chimed.

"Kagome…" Sesshoumaru began, "my heart just skipped a beat."

Cerulean eyes clashed with gold, but it was Kagome that finally put it into words:

"You mean, my chest is somehow beating with your heart!?"

…………………………………………………………….

A.N. Ho, ho- so there it is- the infamous reason as to why Kagome is now beating. But the show's not over yet folks… there are more surprises on the way… hehehe. Oh man, things should get really interesting from here on out! Sess and Kags have a lot to talk about. It's a good thing they have a long journey ahead of them. Anyways, please read and review and let me know what you think. ;)

Thanks to all my readers!! Please read and respond.


	10. Death Be Not Proud

Cerulean eyes clashed with gold, but it was Kagome that finally put it into words:

"You mean, my chest is somehow beating with your heart!?"

…………………………………………….

At Kagome's startling pronouncement, an uneasy silence filled the shadowy clearing. Any and all questions the two companions might have had died a premature death at Kagome's outburst.

In the silence, an undeniable sense of guilt began to gnaw at the back of Kagome's mind. _I never asked for this. I didn't ask for this. _Kagome thought with despair. While the rational part of her mind knew that she couldn't have foreseen or forestalled these events, she couldn't help but feel some remorse. She had striven so diligently to be independent, and now her existence was regulated to that of a parasite.

_I'm a leech. _Kagome thought reproachfully.

She cast a tentative glance towards Sesshoumaru to see how he was taking the startling news. To her guilt-laden mind, his stare which before might have seemed detached and cold, became accusatory and filled with contempt. Shying away from the demons constructed in her mind, Kagome shifted her gaze to shadowy forest around her, unable and unwilling to look at Sesshoumaru for the sense of guilt that gnawed at her mind.

Sesshoumaru, for his part, felt none of the emotions that Kagome was now attributing him with. He was, in fact, less concerned with why Kagome was dependent on him, and more concerned with what her dependency meant for the two of them.

Thinking back on the bizarre episode, Sesshoumaru tried to piece together all that he knew about this new bond. _When the shadow beast had sunk its teeth into Kagome's side, instead of Kagome feeling its sting, it had been transferred to this Sesshoumaru._ He reasoned.

_If pain is transferred across our 'bond,' then, _putting it together, _I am as vulnerable as… she is. _A slight frown pulled at the demon lord's lips.

Deciding to test his new theory, Sesshoumaru stooped towards the carcass of the shadow beast and ripped a fang from its gaping mouth. Pausing briefly before the miko's distraught form, Sesshoumaru nonchalantly drew a hairline cut along the miko's exposed arm.

A brief pain hissed across his arm, and Sesshoumaru now knew that whatever happened to the miko would happen to him.

Kagome for her part felt a slight tingling sensation along her left arm. Drawn out of her silent reverie, she looked up to see Sesshoumaru scrape the shadow beast's fang along her arm. Staring from her arm to the re-bloodied fang, Kagome's sense of remorse dissipated and was replaced with indignation.

"You cut me, you prick! Didn't we already agree that you would refrain from unnecessarily causing me bodily harm? What did you do that for?"

"Apparently," Sesshoumaru replied coolly, disdain coloring his voice, "pain is transferred across our 'bond.'"

Sesshoumaru's brows creased slightly at the thought of such an inconvenience. The miko's pain was now his own, so in a sense he was as weak as she. _Though, if that be so, we will just have to ensure the miko's protection. _Sesshoumaru thought decidedly. He would not be made weaker through his bond with Kagome.

At the sight of yet another volatile change in emotions, Sesshoumaru chuckled to himself. He would never admit it out loud, but to himself, he could acknowledge that at least on some level he enjoyed seeing how many differing emotions he could draw out of the volatile miko. _It is almost fun_.

Mirth brimming over, he decided to take this 'game' one step further. With a false sweetness he teased: "Come now, Kagome, don't be like that."

With a predatory glint in his eye, he moved closer to Kagome, hoping to inspire yet another drastic mood change in the miko. Stepping within her personal space, he made sure to set the miko on edge.

At the demon lord's close proximity, an unnamable feeling began to spread through Kagome. Tentatively, she looked up into his molten orbs, almost afraid of his next move.

Noticing her discomfort, Sesshoumaru decided to take it to the next level. Lightly brushing his fingertips across her cheekbone, he whispered huskily in her ear:

"So if pain is transferred across the bond, what about pleasure?"

"Wh-wh-wha-wha-what?!" Was all she could manage to say, as her mind provided devilish images of how 'pleasure' would look on said demon lord.

"H-h-h-h—" Kagome stammered out, trying desperately to derail her current train of thought. However, her body betrayed her, relishing the feeling of Sesshoumaru's hot breath as it tickled over her ear.With a fierce blush staining her cheeks, Kagome fought to even out her breathing and still her fluttering heart.

Finally getting her wayward emotions under control, she braved a glance at the demon lord who stood before her. Amusement and mirth stared back at her, accompanied by a heavy dose of self-assured cockiness in his smirk. He was silently laughing at her.

Kagome felt the embarrassment and frustration welling up inside her. But, before it could spill out into a scathing remark, the demon lord nonchalantly turned and left, beginning the journey northward once again.

As she watched the demon lord's form fade into the shadows, her previous anger and indignation died on her lips. Surprised at the demon lord's abrupt departure, Kagome once again ran after the demon lord.

…………………………………………..

They had been traveling steadily north for weeks now. Rest was few and far between, with food even scarcer. _Not that I need to really eat,_ thought Kagome. But in looking to a certain demon lord, it was apparent that _he_ needed to eat.

Fatigue hung low on his brow. Each movement slow and subdued as if he measured each step before he took it.

_He needs to eat. He needs to eat. He needs to eat. _The thought resounded like a mantra in her head. To which, her response rang like a macabre death toll. _There is no food._

Indeed, there was no food in the shadow realm. She knew, for Sesshoumaru had tried everything. When she had first been attacked by the shadow beast weeks ago, he had tried to ingest that foul creature. With each battle since then, he tried at least a piece of the carcass. But it was all the same.

There was no sustenance from shadows.

So, with each step they took into Japan's infamous snow country, Kagome's heart sunk a little further, each foot fall pronouncing certain doom to the despondent miko.

Kagome knew that the terrain itself wore on the demon lord. He himself said that it took more for him to sustain himself in the shadow realm. It constantly fed upon his youki, depleting his life energy like a leech.

_Just like me._ Kagome's mind whispered insidiously. She too was leeching off of the demon lord. In acting as a lifeline for Kagome's corporeal presence, Sesshoumaru was in essence sustaining two people within the land of the dead. Even for all his massive power, that effort was starting to show on the demon lord. For them to have traveled this far in and of itself was a testament to the demon lord's incredible strength.

However, beyond all that, beyond the inherent hazards of the shadow realm itself, beyond Kagome's dependence on Sesshoumaru, there was yet another form of exhaustion that plagued the demon lord. One that neither Kagome nor Sesshoumaru could have anticipated.

Sesshoumaru was starving to death.

And that ultimately was why each step towards their destination felt like agony to the young miko because:

She was killing him, and he was letting her.


	11. The White Monster

Kagome stared helplessly in front of her-- before her miles and miles of the same desolate landscape. The snow was coming down thick, pressing in from all sides. Heaven's wrath reigned down around them, in an awesome display of raw power and force.

Beside her, Sesshoumaru stood, hunched into the wind, desperately clawing through nature's fury. Against a sea of white and gray, his form was barely distinguishable. Kagome would have lost him but for his eyes. They burned molten against that wash of white, raging with some inexplicable light.

They were making progress, but it was slow. Night would fall soon, and they would need to find a place to rest. They were resting longer and longer each night now, but it never seemed enough. With each day, Sesshoumaru woke more tired than before, and his youki was rapidly depleting.

_How long can we continue like this? _Kagome winced when she saw the demon lord falter against the wind. The pang of guilt which wracked her body blossomed anew in her chest. It was times like these that Kagome both blessed and cursed her existence as a phantom. It was a blessing in that she did not fall victim to the elements herself, but a curse as she was helpless to watch her companion slowly succumb to them.

She tore her hair in frustration. _The marshes might as well be on the other side of the world for all we'll be able to reach them. _She thought as she recalled all the trials and battles that had brought them here.

While they hadn't been attacked for the past few days, Kagome knew that the beasts hovered along the edge of her peripheral vision, watching and waiting. She had caught glimpses of their shadowy forms through the sheets of snow and ice.

She remembered the first time she had seen one of their deadly grins and it sent shivers along her spine. Barely more than their gaping maws, those soulless, eyeless monsters were harbingers of death, a veritable gateway to hell. And while their presence slowly chipped away at her sanity, but she knew they wouldn't attack, yet.

They were waiting… waiting for Sesshoumaru to die.

Kagome sneered in their direction, wishing that some benevolent force would strike their silent stalkers down. But, she knew she wished in vain. _What I wouldn't give to wipe those mocking grins from their faces._

Those dark thoughts consumed Kagome until a distant sound reached her ears.

Kagome quickly looked to her side at Sesshoumaru.

"Kagome!" he yelled over the shriek of the wind, "We'll stop here!"

Kagome watched his mouth form the words, but heard nothing save for the howling of the storm. Engulfed in its raging fury, Kagome heard little save for its deafening roar. It wasn't until a harsh wind whipped about her face, that Kagome finally heard the distant sound of her name and a garbled 'stop!' Hearing enough to understand, Kagome nodded her head to show her compliance and followed after the demon lord's form.

He led her to some dilapidated shack and quickly ushered her inside. Inside the worn shelter, the terrible roar of the wind ceased, becoming little more than a distant rumble or the occasional creak as it buffered the cabin's walls.

"What is this place?" Kagome shouted, unused to the quieter setting. Her voice came out sounding loud, too loud to her abused ears. Adjusting her voice, Kagome asked again.

"What is this place?"

"Ou…poss…t" Sesshoumaru whispered weakly as he wearily sat against the wall.

"Sesshoumaru?"

He didn't respond. Quickly crossing the room, Kagome knelt before the demon.

"Sesshoumaru?" She asked, worry growing in her voice.

Silence. Sesshoumaru didn't even look up. He just sat, his hands clutching his stomach.

Worried now, Kagome straddled his legs, forcing his eyes to look into hers.

"Kag..me…?"

Kagome's heart lurched at the confusion in his voice. He sounded so lost, as if he'd forgotten why he was there.

Placing two hands under his cheeks, she gently cradled his face. She wanted him to know that she was there. That he was not alone.

Gently tracing the markings along his cheek, she forced a smile.

"It'll be okay Sesshoumaru."

She lied. She knew it was a lie. She just kept hoping that if she said it often enough she might be able to believe it, to make it happen.

"You just need some food that's all. We'll get you some food don't worry." She scoffed at the words even as they left her lips. _I sound so fake. I can't believe I'm saying this._ "Just hold on, okay? Just hold on a little longer, just a little bit longer." _I'll make it better, I promise._

Sesshoumaru heard Kagome's pleas through a thick haze. She seemed to think this 'holding on' was really important. While he didn't understand why it was so important, something, somewhere in his mind kept nagging him to follow along—that if he didn't something bad would happen—something like an angry Kagome or one of her 'pranks.'

Sesshoumaru shook his head at his jumbled thoughts. He needed to keep it together so he could answer Kagome. _If I could just focus on what I want to say!_

He wanted to tell her okay, that she didn't need to worry. He wanted to tell her all these things, but he couldn't. There was some sort of frustrating disconnect between his mouth and his brain. He frowned at that. _How can I answer her if I can't seem to speak? _Confused and frustrated with this new dilemma, Sesshoumaru shied away from those thoughts and thinking in general.

_Everything is so confusing! _He could feel his grasp on reality slowly slipping away. He tried to fight it, but he was just too damn tired. A white mist began to creep into his periphery vision, its peaceful nature subduing the chaos in his mind. He welcomed the nebulous fog, because it offered a release—reducing his worries and concerns to nothing. He felt free.

And yet, there was a niggling voice in the back of his head that plagued him. Images of his young ward and the phantom miko flashed in his mind. Their smiling faces hid some larger purpose. There was something that he was supposed to do, he was sure of it.

Staring once more at Rin's and Kagome's face, regret lanced through his body. _I'm supposed to be saving them! _He thought desperately. With renewed spirit, he fought against the encroaching whiteness. But it was too late.

_I'm sorry_. Sesshoumaru smiled sadly, his world fading to white.

……………………………….


	12. Baptism by Fire

As Sesshoumaru's eyes glazed over, a fear began to well up in Kagome.

"Sesshoumaru?" Her voice held a nervous edge to it.

No response.

"Sesshoumaru!" She began louder.

Still no response.

Placing two ethereal hands on his shoulders, Kagome tried to shake him awake, but she couldn't. Her touch flitted over his skin with all the effectiveness of a passing breeze.

"SESSHOUMARU!" She screamed his name. Pounding on his chest, she begged him to wake up.

"Please Sesshoumaru, please wake up."

"I promise I won't do any more pranks, I promise…"

"I'll, I'll steal Tetsusaiga, I'll grope Miroku, I'll be nice to Jaken!" _Anything, just wake up. _

She knew she was babbling and close to hysterics. But she couldn't take it.

_It's all my fault. _

"God dammit, Sesshoumaru!" She yelled at him, slapped his face, clawed at his skin.

Still nothing. A madness began to take root in Kagome's mind, and she started shouting out to no one in particular.

"He needs food." Kagome whispered desperately.

"But there is no food!" Another part of her yelled back.

"I know that! I know that! I know that!" She shrieked.

Just as quickly as her anger rose, it dissipated. Kagome slumped, a lifeless heap against Sesshoumaru's still form.

_What am I doing? _She questioned her sanity. _Why am I arguing with myself while my friend is dieing from starvation? _

Kagome errantly plucked at Sesshoumaru's sleeve, willing it to spring back to life of its own accord. But it was futile.

Kagome fell forward, her head resting under Sesshoumaru's own-- his light breath teasing her skin and tickling her hair. She assured herself with the light rise and fall of his chest.

_He's alive. _She sighed. _But for how long? _The rational side of her brain whispered insidiously. _How much longer can he last without food?_

Her mind demanded an answer.

_I don't know. _She replied desperately.

_Then why try to wake him up? You would wake him up for what—to have him fall unconscious again? _

Kagome struggled for an answer. _What… no… I don't know. It's useless, I know. But I want--no need-- him awake. _She replied weakly.

_But, i__sn't it inevitable? He's dying. _The insidious voice inside her head continued. _This the end, and you know it. _It whispered dangerously. Images of the shadow beasts that lurked outside the cabin flashed through her mind.

Kagome's breath stopped. _Is this the end? _Confusion and fear threatened to overwhelm her. She knew there was no food, and she knew that the shadow beasts lurked just outside ready to take Sesshoumaru away from her, but still she clung desperately to hope.

_No. _She refused. Hardening her resolve against the traitorous voices in her head, her eyes glinted with a steely determination.

"This is not the end." Her voice echoed harsh against the cabin walls.

"Sesshoumaru just needs food, demon food." She started, trying to come to a solution logically even in her hysterics. "But what do demons eat?" She wondered aloud.

_Demons need blood. _The thought came slowly, as if Kagome struggled with some difficult problem. Suddenly, it came to her.

_I have blood-- his black blood._

_Sesshoumaru needs his blood—my blood. _

Elation and euphoria unlike Kagome had ever known swept through her body, at finally stumbling upon the long sought after solution. However the giddy feeling soon passed, giving way to an inexplicable nervousness.

_How am I supposed to do this_?

With trepidation, Kagome brought her face closer to Sesshoumaru's own. His ragged breath was irregular and labored.

_He doesn't have much time. _came her errant thought.

As if in response, the shadow beasts stirred outside the hut, slowly coming to life.

Kagome shuddered. _I don't have much time. _Squaring her shoulders, Kagome strengthened her resolve, ignoring the feeling of her own inhibitions.

_This is the only way. _

With delicate fingers, she coaxed Sesshoumaru's lips open, carefully revealing his jagged fangs. Maneuvering around in his lap, she placed her neck just before his inviting mouth. With his breath playing across her sensitive skin, a slight flush stained her cheeks at the thought of such intimate contact with the demon lord.

Awkwardly, she reached behind his head, her fingers mere whispers against his silvery locks. With one last apologetic look to the demon lord for her affront, she sank his teeth into the crook of her neck.

_Forgive me. _

A blinding light erupted from the juncture of her neck, a powerful wave of magic undulating from that point. At the sheer force and power of this unknown magic, Kagome's eyes widened in shock.

_What is this? _Awe-struck, Kagome couldn't help the slight worry that bloomed in the back of her mind.

_What on earth have I done?_ The thought rang across her mind.

With a powerful magic washing over her in waves, and Sesshoumaru's blood singing through her veins, the last vestiges of consciousness slipped away, swept under by the torrent of magical power swirling throughout her.

……………………………………………..

A.N. Alrighty, so there you have it. With this new development, things are certain to change for our favorite miko and demon lord.

To my reviewers thus far:

To Aimdiscord: Well, it is yet another climatic ending... . I hope you can forgive me. P.S. I haven't forgotten about Rin, so don't worry. :) She will be back in the story soon.

To WhyWhatShutup: You are a very astute reader... In fact, out of all my readers you alone guessed correctly at how I was going to save Sesshoumaru-- well played!

To Sessluver: I have to say a huge thank you to you for being with me since the beginning. Your consistent reviews are like a breath of fresh air. Reading your words 'She was killing him, and he was letting her. Even though theoretically, it is not a terribly sad scene, I still feel like crying. TT' I felt like I had finally written a chapter worthy to be read. I was going for that emotion, and reading that you felt it made my day.

To Oh Please: I am glad you are liking the fic so far. Don't worry about Sess. I am not going to kill him off. Just like you said- he's the hero, he can't die.


	13. The Morning After

Kagome awoke. Harsh winter sunlight glared in the outpost's only window.

_Unngggghhhh… how long have I been asleep? _Quickly shielding her eyes, Kagome squinted against the sudden onslaught of light.

Sitting up slowly, she stifled a groan. Her whole body ached. _What did I do to myself? _Kagome rocked back and forth where she sat, moaning into knees.

All of a sudden it came crashing back to her in flashes starting with the terrible snow storm. She remembered the eye-less, soul-less monsters, the lone out-post, and Sesshoumaru—

_SESSHOUMARU-- _Her head snapped up, immediately searching for the demon lord's lithe form. He sat unmoving before her. When her eyes found his, Kagome couldn't help the overwhelming sense of relief that washed over her. _He's alright. He's still here. _

"Sesshoumaru," she said quietly, a gentle smile spreading across her face. While it struck her as somewhat odd, she was glad to wake up and see his face. "What are you doing up already. You should rest. You still have a fever, remember?" She said, her eyes shining with concern.

"Kagome…" Sesshoumaru began, but it came out as no more than a strangled whisper.

Kagome looked up at him in surprise. His voice sounded off, a mixture of too many discordant emotions. A pained expression flashed in his eyes before it was taken over by yet another and another unnamable emotion.

Kagome started. Sesshoumaru's face was a roiling mass, churning with too many emotions. She had never seen anyone's face undergo so many violent transformations in such a short frame of time. Worry began to settle somewhere in the bottom of Kagome's stomach.

"Sesshoumaru…" she questioned softly.

Sesshoumaru barely paused at the sound of his name, so lost was he in his own thoughts. "Kagome," he said, his voice distant and confused, and then he hesitated. It was as if he couldn't decide whether or not he wanted to continue. A silence stretched across the room until at last Sesshoumaru settled on his next words.

"Tell me what you remember before you fell asleep." Sesshoumaru's quiet statement filled the room. While it seemed rather innocuous to Kagome, as she watched another pained expression pass over the demon lord's face, she could only wonder at the consequences of her answer.

Scooting closer to the demon lord, Kagome wanted to be able to watch his expressions from up close. As their knees brushed together, a startled look ran across Sesshoumaru's face, as if he were seeing the miko again for the first time. He seemed so unsure of himself, so lost.

"Sesshoumaru…" Kagome began gently, hoping to ease whatever unknown fears troubled the demon lord. "I remember the shadow monsters." At that terrifying name, Kagome shivered. "I remember them coming after you… they were going too… they were going too…" Her voice took on a hard edge. "They were going to steal your soul."

The image of a dying, starving Sesshoumaru ran through her mind. Comparing that to the Sesshoumaru that sat before her now, Kagome could still see the deep lines of fatigue that plagued his face and the exhaustion that sat heavily in his frame.

It was getting harder to keep her voice steady. She was getting to the part where Sesshoumaru lay dying within her arms. Her throat grew tight. Tears threatened her eyes.

Clutching the hem of her skirt, a renewed sense of guilt passed through the miko. _He had only been that way because he had been sustaining me. _She could only be thankful that he survived.

Looking to the demon lord now, she could clearly see signs that her tale disturbed him. His breath ran ragged and he seemed to regard her with a stare half-mad with desperation.

Kagome openly squirmed under his intense gaze. However, there was no other way around it. What was done, was done. She had to continue. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she plunged into the last details.

"I sunk your teeth into my neck, forcing some of your blood back into your body."

The weight of the miko's words pressed in around Sesshoumaru from all sides. Kagome watched on in horror a giant convulsion racked the demon lord's entire frame. Terrified and confused, Kagome reached out a trembling hand to stroke the demon lord's shoulder. But before it could reach its destination, a pandemonium erupted from somewhere inside Sesshoumaru.

"NOOOOO!!" Sesshoumaru's strangled cry ripped from his throat. With a speed too quick for human eyes to follow, he had forced Kagome to the ground with his hand, sitting straddled against her hips. "KAGOME!" He screamed at her, pounding his fist into the worn wooden panels at the side of her face. "Do you have any idea what you've done?" He asked of her, begged of her to have an answer.

Kagome panicked. She didn't know what to do. _This couldn't be Sesshoumaru! _The demon above her was no longer the Sesshoumaru she knew, but a demon possessed.

"Sesshoumaru!" She screamed back at him, hoping to reach him, hoping to calm him down. "Stop! You're delusional! This is just the fever talking. You, you need to calm down!"

"NO, NO, NO, NO!" He yelled. He wouldn't be placated. "You don't know what you're talking about!" He stared her in the eyes, hoping, trying to convince her of his sanity. "Look I know, I know a lot of this is the fever talking, but Kagome, Kagome you need to listen." He needed her to believe him.

Desperate, he grasped her ebony locks within his large hand, and lowered his face until it was mere inches from her own.

At the demon lord's unexpected contact, Kagome froze. Fear and worry clutched at her heart. Looking Sesshoumaru in the eye, she could see lucid understanding fighting against a myriad of other turbulent emotions. Without a choice, she warily gave the volatile demon her attention.

"Kagome you don't know what you've done." He whispered, running a delicate claw through her midnight blue hair. "You took away i _my_ choice /i … you took away i _your /i _choice." His voice faltered. Clenching his fist against her scalp, his sanity slipped a little.

"She had no choice." He was talking to himself. "I would have died. I would have died!" He yelled to no one in particular.

Kagome watched on in terrible fascination. What could she do? She was about to open her mouth to say something, anything when Sesshoumaru once again turned semi-lucid eyes back to her.

"Aggggggh! You and your stupid humanity!" Now anger flashed in his eyes, directed solely at her. "What have you done!! Your unsuitable, insipid ideas about compassion—look where they brought us!" But just as quickly as his anger rose, it subsided, fizzling out into a weary sense of responsibility.

"But how can I be mad at you—you did it to save my life." He nodded solemnly in her direction as if his statement held great worth to him. "And you didn't know… That's right, she didn't know, so I can't hold it against her. Right?"

Kagome couldn't take it any more. She didn't know what was worse: waiting in agony for Sesshoumaru's sanity to finally settle in, or actually witnessing a time when the demon lord couldn't seem to keep it together. Seeing him this way, Kagome felt a small pressure build up inside her chest, somewhere near her heart. She couldn't take it any longer.

"Sesshoumaru!! Sesshoumaru!!" She yelled. When those confused golden orbs finally caught her eye, the pressure in her chest turned into a sharp pain. As tears welled in her eyes, she placed trembling hands on either side of his sculptured face. "Sesshoumaru, Sesshoumaru," her voice cracked, "I don't understand. I don't understand what you're saying. Please," she pleaded, "please tell me what's wrong."

At the sensation of Kagome's cool hands along his burning skin, Sesshoumaru calmed. Leaning into her careful ministrations, he took a shaky breath. Sitting up, he removed his eyes from her face and stared somewhere at the wall to his left. With a low voice, he addressed Kagome, his tone dead-pan as if he had lost the energy and the will to go on.

"Kagome," he sighed deeply, still refusing to meet her searching gaze, "when you sunk my teeth into your neck, you unwittingly initiated the mating rituals of my kind." His pitiful gaze met Kagome's shocked expression. "You are tied to me."

Kagome was stunned.

His words rang in her ears; tolled with a terrible finality. She didn't even notice when Sesshoumaru quietly stood and moved to the other side of the room.

_ I began the mating rituals! _Her mind asked incredulously. She couldn't fathom the idea. _That would mean that someday Sesshoumaru and I will have to… _Her thought trailed off. Kagome quickly directed her attention elsewhere.

_ What does this mean… for us? _Kagome hesitantly added. Even in her mind, the word 'us' sounded strange.

_What am I supposed to think? _Her mind drew a complete blank. _How am I supposed to know what to think when I don't even know what Sesshoumaru thinks? _

_Sesshoumaru… _Kagome thought about his words. _He said that I initiated the mating rituals… _she paused, _that would mean that I no better than raped Sesshoumaru! _

Remorse tore through Kagome, as an overwhelming sense of grief washed over her. _I didn't know! _Her mind screamed at her. _But does that make it okay? _She no longer knew.

"Sesshoumaru…" Her voice came out in a choked whisper. When there was no response, Kagome finally empty space above her. Scanning the room quickly, Kagome sighed with relief when Sesshoumaru's figure entered her eyes. For a moment, she thought she had been abandoned.

She quietly moved over to his side. Reaching out to place a gentle hand on his knee, she drew back in hesitation. _He might hate me now. _The thought rose unbidden in her mind.

The hand poised just above his white hakama began to shake as tears flowed freely down her face. Her blurry vision was filled with the white-wash of his hakama. Kagome wished she could disappear forever into that white void.

"I'm sorry… I so sorry… I'm so sorry." Her voice was barely more than the movement of her lips. If Sesshoumaru never spoke to her again, she knew that she would continue saying those words until eternity.

"Kagome." His gentle command broke through reverie.

Kagome ceased her mantra, but refused to meet the demon lord's eyes.

"Kagome," this time the demon lord's voice rang a little harsher, "look me in the face."

When Kagome still refused to look up, Sesshoumaru reached out his weary hand to cup her chin. "I said look at me."

The warmth of Sesshoumaru's gentle touch startled the miko. With large eyes she looked at his face as if seeing him for the first time. All the emotions from earlier, anger, hurt, guilt, gratitude, and, approval, continued to wage war across his face, battling for supremacy.

Kagome waited with bated breath for Sesshoumaru to pronounce her judgment.

"Kagome," he started. _This is going to be more difficult than I thought. _He wanted to be able to say it would be okay, but that clearly wasn't the case now and would probably never be the case. Sesshoumaru sighed deeply. Rather than focus on meaningless condolences for a situation they couldn't change, he turned his attention to details of their situation that he did understand.

"Kagome, for the time being, the situation at hand is unchangeable." Sesshoumaru watched the pang of guilt streak deepen within the miko's expressive eyes. "But, you need to know that it is not something that _we_ need to act upon right now." Sesshoumaru's face scrunched up at the unusual feeling of word 'we' on his tongue. According to the miko's reaction, it was apparent that she wasn't quite used to the idea either.

Kagome nodded her head weakly. It was a small assurance. _At least we don't have to… now. _She mentally shivered at the possibility.

"I see."

Sesshoumaru continued. "There is nothing I can do while in the shadow realm, but when we return to the land of the living, there is a possibility that I will be able to break the bond."

Kagome's face brightened at the mention of a slight hope. She just hoped the demon lord wasn't lying.

"In the meantime," Sesshoumaru fixed his eyes on Kagome's own, "my feelings and emotions will start to pass through. You will be able to feel them through the bond."

With those words, a gateway opened within Kagome's mind. All of a sudden she could feel Sesshoumaru _in _her mind. His emotions were muted and less strong than her own, but they were there.

"You're still hungry." She blurted out. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth, but it was too late, the words were already out. She couldn't help it. Muted as they were, his hunger pains lanced through Kagome as if she herself were starving.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Yes." Sesshoumaru replied steely. Kagome could tell that he was irritated with her. He was irritated because of her brash statement, because it was true, but also because it made him dependent on her.

"I need to have some more blood." He spit out the words between gritted teeth. And, although he sounded angry to Kagome's ears, within her mind she knew how much it had cost him to admit to such a weakness.

Kagome nodded once, her head filled with various feelings. _I'm more than willing to give him what was rightfully his in the first place, but one the other this will be the first time that we both are awake for this 'procedure.' _In her mind she decided to refer to it as a procedure. She couldn't bear to think of it as the beginnings of inu mating behavior.

Unsure of what Sesshoumaru considered 'proper,' Kagome decided just to do what she had done the last time. She moved towards his lap, but under Sesshoumaru's intense gaze, she felt awkward and unbalanced. Shaking uncontrollably now, she slowly slid her legs across over his own. Her hips rested against his.

Kagome's heart beat faster in her chest at the demon lord's proximity. Pushing thoughts of their intimate position from her mind, Kagome caught the demon lord's eyes. She inclined her head slightly to signal she was ready.

Sesshoumaru dipped his head towards her inviting neck. His hot breath played across the hollows of her neck. Kagome shivered into the sensation. She could no longer tell whether the feelings of arousal and disgust were her own or Sesshoumaru's, but when he opened his mouth to taste her she no longer cared.

When his teeth entered her neck, all her senses erupted at once. Passion coursed through her veins. She arched her back into Sesshoumaru's strong chest. When his erection pressed into the damp fabric between her legs, Kagome moaned. With Sesshoumaru's pleasure washing over her, added to her own unmet desire, she was overwhelmed.

She couldn't help it. She was teetering on the edge of sanity and insanity. But, she knew she was not alone. She could feel his sanity unravel with every fiber of her body.

She clung to his clothing with desperate force. _I'm losing consciousness. _Sesshoumaru seemed to understand. With a trembling hand, he reluctantly guided his teeth away from her neck.

As a void began to creep into her vision, a wild smile spread across her face. _Insanity, I have finally succumbed. _With that she let unconscious take her.

………………………………………

A.N. Dear readers, thank you so much for your patients over the past few months. I know it has been a long time… too long… since my last update. I can only apologize and thank my faithful readers for keeping me going. I have been very busy, changing countries, moving house, starting a new job, earthquake (yikes), no internet, etc. But I am glad to say I have internet again, and will hopefully be able to update more regularly. (crosses fingers) I hope you like the long awaited chapter!

Thanks again to all my readers and a special thanks to my reviewers.


	14. The Frozen North

Kagome's eyes blinked open. For the first time since she and Sesshoumaru had come to claim the outpost for a resting spot, the stark, drafty interior didn't surprise her. Stretching her protesting muscles, she felt her back crack in a few places.

_Sleeping on a drafty wooden floor will do that to you. _ Kagome's mind thought automatically. As a rule, Kagome shied away from contemplating how a phantom could still have bones to crack. _It's not a question I could easily answer._ Kagome thought smoothly, trying to quell the sense of curiosity that bubbled up along with that train of thought. _It's entirely too early in the morning for that kind of thinking._

Bleary-eyed and stumbling over her own two feet, Kagome slowly made her way over to the entrance of the outpost, grumbling to herself about overly-active curiosity streaks. The entrance before her had been reduced to a mere slither of an opening between the wooden frame and the fallen snow.

Fortunately for Kagome, Sesshoumaru had already made his way of the outpost. So, following footholds, Kagome squeezed her slighter frame out onto the snow bank. Huffing slightly with the effort, Kagome remained where she lay. Sesshoumaru's eyes burned into her, scouring her frame and urging her to get-up and get moving. However, his silent command fell on deaf ears.

"It's too early for this." Kagome groaned out ambiguously. _Too early for climbing out outposts and too early for Sesshoumaru's eyes._ Kagome's mind fleshed out the statement for her. Still unwilling and unready to meet Sesshoumaru's gaze, Kagome took time to brush off the snow from her uniform. Finally, having wasted as much time as she dared, Kagome gathered her legs from under her and rose with a sigh.

She knew without words that this would be the day that they renewed traveling. She knew without words because she could _ feel _ it: his impatience at her delays, his impending sense of urgency, his readiness to put the outpost miles behind. His emotions skated just bubbled just underneath the surface, like a second consciousness, always present, ever-there.

Kagome shuddered. _Being able to see and to sense Sesshoumaru's thoughts and emotions will take some getting used to._ A similar thought echoed across Kagome's awareness, and in that instance she knew that Sesshoumaru felt the same way.

Her mind and thoughts geared for the travel of the day, Kagome hazarded a quick look at Sesshoumaru's face. She knew he was impatient to travel, but she couldn't leave without ensuring he was strong enough to. While exhaustion seemed etched into every line and angle of his face, she took solace in the face that the dark circles under his eyes were not as stark as they had been the past few days. It was only a slight improvement, but an improvement nonetheless. So, with that as her hope, Kagome turned her feet towards the horizon. _ But, we're stopping for an oil change the minute I feel you fading. _

Kagome's eyes looked pointedly into Sesshoumaru's golden orbs. She could see he was slightly taken aback at her vehemence. His surprise tickled at her inner-senses, but she let it pass. She was only making sure of his safety, something she would have done for any of her other friends.

However, as she picked her way through the snow, following in Sesshoumaru's footsteps, a nagging thought echoed through her head: _Although, I haven't initiated the mating rites with any of my other friends… _

………………………………………

They had been traveling for less than half a day, when the pair reached their destination. There were no more steps north to take; for indeed, they stood at the very pinnacle of Honshu itself.

The bitter north wind that whipped and stung at Kagome's face was quickly lost to the terrible, frigid Okhotsk Sea. Blocks of ice dotted the wave line and chipped against the frozen shore. Gazing out into that gaping black abyss, a sense of dread spread throughout her body, but it wasn't the sea that chilled her to the bone.

Rising before her stood the gateway to the other-side. Towering and massive, strikingly red in color, was a torii. Staring into its gaping maw, the only backdrop to meet her eyes was the gently swaying rice paper and the torrent that was the Okhotsk Sea. Physically, the torii appeared to be a gateway for the shallows of the frigid sea, but Kagome knew better. She wasn't one to be beguiled. She knew that once she and Sesshoumaru passed through, they would stand in the threshold of the land of the dead.

_And I teeter at its precipice… _ Dark thoughts began to overwhelm her, as a deep, abiding fear stole over her senses.

A hand at her shoulder broke her train of thought. Eyes, wide with fear swiveled to meet Sesshoumaru's steady gaze.

"Sesshoumaru…" Kagome whispered. Seeing that source of strength and the slight warmth of his hand on her shoulder calmed the seemingly irrational fears that had stolen over her. _For a moment, I believed I was alone. I was alone_ Kagome shook her head slightly at her unreasonable doubts. _Sesshoumaru's always been there with me, and always will be. _

Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed briefly at the miko's thoughts, and he looked as though he would say something in response. However, when he opened his mouth to put form to those words, he found he couldn't. There were too many things to consider, too many voices to listen to, to many feelings to deal with. The maelstrom of raw emotions he felt towards the small miko paralyzed him, and he shied away from that brilliance.

"Before we go, I need more blood. I don't know what it will be like there, and I don't know when we will have another chance."

Kagome nodded distractedly. Mentally, though, her mind felt whip-lashed, and her attention was more taken with deciphering all the turbulent emotions she had just felt roll off of the demon lord.

Sesshoumaru knelt on the snow, and Kagome followed. The ritual was familiar, and allowed Kagome to gather herself once more. Bending down to Sesshoumaru's level, Kagome felt a sense of peace wash over her.

So, when she knelt to straddle Sesshoumaru's legs, the tension that spiked up against her senses surprised her. A slight worry creased her brow, and she raised a questioning face to Sesshoumaru's. But, his face was as unreadable as ever, and the myriad emotions she saw dancing in his eyes did nothing to help interpret the things she could sense through their bond.

For some reason, Sesshoumaru was tense. It showed in his every movements. The hand that rose to brush her hair to the side was awkward and slow. His claws trembled against the column of her neck, and when he reached down to sink his teeth in her neck, he paused just above her pearly complexion, as if suddenly second-guessing his position.

Just as before, his warm breath played against her skin. Her legs clenched slightly, and a tight feeling snaked down her senses to settle somewhere in her chest. At the tentative brush of Sesshoumaru's tongue across her sensitive skin, Kagome breath hitched in her throat and she released a shaky breath.

Sesshoumaru's muscles jumped at the slight shift in her weight, and another tense jolt rocketed over Kagome's senses. Tilting her head, Kagome tried to catch eyes with the demon lord. Sesshoumaru's uncharacteristic behavior was starting to worry her. But, as she raised a hand to stop him, he sunk his teeth in.

Pleasure exploded over every sense. Time moved from instance to instance in which all Kagome's thoughts centered on the lapping motion of Sesshoumaru's tongue and the gentle pull of his fangs at her neck.

"Unnngghhh…" A breathy moan filled the frigid landscape. In that moment, Kagome's world centered on a single being, the virile demon lord pinned between her legs.

When he was finished and pulled away, Kagome the sigh of disappointment that escaped her lips. She couldn't tell what, but she wanted something i more. /i

_There has to be something more. _Her mind whined. _We can't go on to the land of the dead like this. This might be the last time that Sesshoumaru and I are… together_.

Sesshoumaru's head bowed slightly in acknowledgement of the miko's macabre thoughts. His eyes took on a darker tone as a sense of regret and things left undone flashed across their connection.

_So Sesshoumaru's feeling this too._ Kagome's mind spun in circles. _There's still something that needs to be done. Something's missing._

Kagome was confused, and the pleasure that still ricocheted off her senses were making it difficult to think. However, when Sesshoumaru lifted his head once more to meet her eyes, a glint of light caught her eye. At the corner of his lip, black blood glinted in the harsh winter light, drawing and focusing her attention.

The black spot against his alabaster skin marred its perfection. Try though she might, she couldn't tear her eyes from the glaring error. The more she thought about it, the more garish it appeared to her.

Sesshoumaru noticed the direction of her attention and moved to get up to remove it. However, when he gathered his legs up from under him to stand, Kagome raised her voice in protest.

"….don't." It was all she said. For some reason, she couldn't quite explain what was going on in her head. She couldn't quite explain it, because it didn't entirely make sense to her either. It was just that she needed to get rid of that blemish before she could move on.

With that black spot as the center of her vision, Kagome inched her face closer to Sesshoumaru's own. Cupping the sides of his face in her petite hands, their breaths mingled for a brief moment, and then she kissed him.

Tentative at first, her lips whispered against his. The first few brushes of her light lips stunned him. But his shock gave way and he began to mold his lips with hers in response.

With Sesshoumaru's lips playing against her own, a delight swelled up in Kagome. This was what she had been missing. And before she passed over that threshold to death, she wanted to make sure he knew it. Capturing his lips with her own, she poured all the thoughts, all the unspoken words into that kiss, and she took from Sesshoumaru all that she gave.

When Kagome finally pulled away, she rested her forehead against Sesshoumaru's own, and stared into his eyes. The same satisfied, contented look that shone in her eyes was reflected there. In that moment, she knew. There were no regrets. She had no regrets; Sesshoumaru had no regrets; and there were no regrets between them. They were ready to face the Underworld.

As a pair, they rose and walked over to the gate. When they passed over the threshold, Kagome couldn't help but lick her lips and smile.

………………………………………………………

A.N. I am sorry for the delay in getting this up. I have had some writer's block with how to continue the story, but now that it is moving I have a fairly good image for how it is going to end. Stick with me! ;)


	15. The Red Gate

They stepped through the gate, and the sea of Okhostk vanished. Before them was an endless marsh that stretched to the horizon line. There were no trees, nothing to block their vision, just pools upon pools of stagnant grey.

The air was heavy, noxious with the stench of rotting peat.

Kagome choked on her breath as it burned down her throat. "Ugh, Sesshoumaru, what is-"

Sesshoumaru whipped around clapping a hand to her jaw. His eyes burned and his breathing was labored, but he refused to speak. He pressed a long finger to his lips.

_He wants me to be silent_, Kagome realized. _But for what? There's nothing here, right?_ She looked out at the depths spread out before her. One-two-rippled in the distance. She shuddered, turning her wide eyes back to Sesshoumaru.

His gaze held hers for a long time before he motioned her close. _Sword_, he mouthed, pointing to her chest.

He needed Tenseiga. Kagome gave Sesshoumaru a shaky nod of her head.

The demon lord reached out, guiding the miko to stand before him. With her back to him, he swept his hand across her blouse. He felt her shiver, and his whole body tensed under her encouraging response. Now is not the time,his mind rebuked. He ground his teeth together when the miko shifted and tucked herself into the crook of his chest. Her curves pressed against his groin. Sesshoumaru felt a groan gather at the back of his throat. _I have to save Rin!_ He ruthlessly reminded himself. Clenching and unclenching his muscles, he forced his body to relax. Then, taking a deep breath, he wrapped his fingers around the sword s cool metal base and eased it forward.

As the tip passed from her flesh, Kagome exhaled and melted into Sesshoumaru s buoying relief. He was just so strong, so stable. _He wouldn't let me disappear sword or no sword_. She reassured herself and forced her eyes to look out upon the object that had sustained her.

Her connection was there. It hung from navel to hilt like a giant cord and pulsed in time with her heart. Strong then weak-strong then weak. It picked up another beat. Strong then weak weak. Strong then weak weak.

The sword started to glow orange-red then white-hot as blue sparks crackled along the smooth metal edge. All at once, the sparks leapt up and scattered over the myriad pools. They hovered over the surface of the water like a thousand tiny gem stones thrown across a sea of glass.

_It's beautiful_. Her breath caught in her throat.

A hum filled the air as each spark started to ripple and vibrate. One by one, each spark drifted away from its pool, huddling over a single puddle in the distance. Finally, they all came together forming a giant blue orb.

_That's where we'll find Rin_. Kagome knew without a doubt.

Sesshoumaru gave her a slight nod and slid out along the berm. Knees bent and low to the ground, he picked his way along the thin ribbon of moss. It was his only purchase between the murky depths, and he was careful to test each foothold before entrusting his weight to it. Kagome followed behind him stepping out gingerly onto the wet ground.

It squelched and gave way beneath her. She grimaced as the sticky wetness bled into her shoes. Mud. _Of course, it had to be mud_, she thought bracing herself for the next step. She lifted her feet up, and the mud puckered around her ankles. She put her feet down, and the sludge slid across her shins. _This is going to take forever_, Kagome lamented.

She kept an eye on her reflection as it grew longer and then shorter and then longer again. She had passed another pool. One down, one million to go. The orb twinkled in the distance. _Are we even getting any closer?_ Kagome wondered. All around them was the same muddy mess, the same inky darkness, and the same eerie mist! They could be going in circles for all she knew!

"Arrrgghh," she huffed stamping a particularly stubborn glob from her shoe.

Sesshoumaru froze. He stopped, his body tense and ready, and turned slowly scanning the mist for movement. Seconds ticked by. Something- white, flashy-broke the surface three pools over, then, a ripple next to her feet.

Kagome took a step back. Sharp, molten eyes met hers. _Don't_, Sesshoumaru mouthed. And again he put his finger to his lips.

Her lips formed the words automatically. _I'm sorry_, she mimed sheepishly bowing her head.

The line in his shoulders went slack as he lifted his weary head to the sky. _Soon._ He pointed to the light.

_Soon_. She reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze.

Sesshoumaru squeezed back, and Kagome smiled. Here in this otherworld, she needed the comfort.

...

Finally- after minutes or hours Kagome couldn't be sure- they basked in the glow of the orbs rays. It glowed along their skin coating everything with a silvery light. Sesshoumaru pointed down into the water. Kagome peered into its murky depths.

_Bodies. Long, white bodies._ They floated just under the surface like elongated corpses. Too long to be human, their bones jutted out all awkward angles and bends.

In Rin's pool, there was a girl, or at least what seemed to have been a girl at one time. She was grossly disfigured now. Her hip and shoulder bones were distended and swollen. They were giant knobs connected to her arms and legs like four massive cudgels. White skin stretched over these ridges like alabaster, but it was so thin in places it was translucent. Kagome could not only count the girl's ribs, she could see them.

It reminded Kagome of a fish- a dead one- with albino scales. Two round sockets gave way to a wide mouth. Kagome half expected to see gills hidden among the tufts of black hair that drifted along the sides of her face.

There were four black splotches of color along her cheek bones. Kagome assumed they were a part of the girl s scale pattern. But as she leaned in closer, the blotches began to take shape. They were crosses, four black crosses, and they looked to have been stitched into her face.

Angry red lines scored the girl s cheeks where the thread had broken the skin. And along the girl s eyelids, Kagome could see four gaping holes where the threads had torn and ripped the thin membrane.

_Her eyes are sown shut._ Kagome shuddered. The empty sockets bobbed up once, twice, and then three times. Under Kagome s watchful stare, they started to flutter. She saw the skin, that angry-looking puffed-up skin, pinch together, and the coarse thread went slack, then taut, and slack again. Her eyelids ripped a little more.

And then, her eyes opened. Two baleful yellow slits stared up at Kagome from underneath her sown-in skin.

Kagome screamed.

"No Kagome, don't!" Sesshoumaru grabbed the young miko and pulled her away from the pool. "It sets them off!" He said in a terse whisper.

Kagome cringed.

Splish. Splish.

She huddled closer.

Splish. Splish, drip drip. Splish. Splish, drip drip.

The corpse-girl before them raised a rotting arm and laid it on the puddle s surface. Using her long fingers like claws, she hauled herself atop it as if it were a ledge. She sat atop her watery grave and preened. Her long black hair trailed behind her lapping at the water s surface. She wrapped it about her like a shroud, her arms unfolding with a loud crack. She rose up on all fours, her joints popping in and out of place as she forced herself forward. It was sickening to watch. She settled herself before them, her bones shifting and scraping underneath their translucent sheath. Her giant eyes were mere inches from Sesshoumaru s face. The miko could see her pupils dilate, size, and resize again.

_She's sizing us up._ Kagome blanched when the thing turned those glassy eyes towards her.

The corpse opened her mouth and emitted some sort of clicking sound from the back of her throat. When Kagome didn t respond, the whole front of the girl ballooned out and stretched her stomach until she looked ready to burst. Her white skin flashed a dark purple, and the corpse-girl started to shake. The gases in her stomach boiled and churned expanding into her lungs and esophagus.

Kagome watched in horror as that wide mouth opened to reveal a slick, black tongue. She screamed as the thick appendage shot forward and engulfed her in its thick wetness. Sticky slime coated her face. Coughing and sputtering, Kagome fought down her own bile as she kicked and bucked against the thick bands that covered her waist.

"KAGOME! NO!" Sesshoumaru grabbed at her and pulled.

White-hot pain seared through her. It felt like her arms were being torn from their sockets, but she finally lurched forward. The sticky rings rolled over her thighs ripping at her skin and tearing the hair from her legs. She clung to Sesshoumaru.

His body shifted under hers and she felt him tense for the strike. Tenseiga sang past her ears as Sesshoumaru stabbed the creature. The girl-corpse screeched and released Kagome. Her long black tongue retracted back into her face and she retreated back over the waters.

Kagome wrapped herself around the demon lord. He was quivering beneath her. He s overdoing it again. She wiped the slime from her eyes. Bright purple stripes cut across his haggard features and his breath came in starts and wheezes. Stop, don t! She wanted to scream. She clutched at his shoulders and shook her head against his face.

He set her beside him and raised Tenseiga.

_NO!_ She pleaded with him as he lowered his body into a crouch. His image blurred and he was across the pool. It blurred again and he was hovering above the wretched creature. He slashed and hacked the corpse and her black blood sprayed all about him. It speckled his clothes, his face, his hair. Great globules of the brackish combination dripped from his poison claws and into the mud turning it from brown to blackish-green.

The girl-corpse grasped at her wounds and let out an ear-splitting scream. A deep mist rolled from her mouth blanketing them in a deep fog.

Kagome rolled to the ground and clasped her knees to her chest. She could hear the battle all around her.

Woosh_-_ and the vapor crystals swirled to reveal Sesshoumaru landing at her side. Splash, scream-another hit for Sesshoumaru. Splash, clang- and he missed.

_Please let him be alright. Please let him be alright._ She prayed as the mists swirled all about her. Clash, grunt, scream. Kagome shot up. _That was Sesshoumaru!_ White-hot pain burned across their bond. Her legs buckled and she stumbled through the spray. Sesshoumaru lay before her, writhing, and clutching his leg.

_SESSHOUMARU!_ She dove to the ground as a great black appendage whizzed past her head. She ran her hand down his thigh. The skin and fabric had melted away leaving the muscle torn and shredded underneath. The flesh was burnt. _Scalded_? She tried to make sense of the images whirring through her mind.

"Sesshoumaru!" She yelled.

He shot up, his eyes burning against the mist.

She clutched his pelt to her chest. "Well, you know this is your fault." She was crying now; she couldn't help it. Her tears fell hot against his face.

He growled and pushed her away. He shuddered as he stood and nearly collasped again when he placed his foot down. He stumbled over to the water's edge Tenseiga flashing at his side.

"Sesshoumaru, NO!" Kagome wrenched herself up and ran after him.

Something dark darted past her face. She rolled into the mud.

"AAAAAHHHHHHH!" She screamed. A thick warmness wrapped around her ankle and pulled.

It flung her into the air and released. She tumbled end over end plummeting towards the pit below.

The tongue reached out and grabbed her. "OOoommph." All the breath in her lungs left in a rush as she lurched to a stop in mid-air. She dangled over the pool, entwined, as the tongue wrapped itself like a giant fist about her.

"KAGOME!" A flash of silver. Sesshoumaru jumped, swung and missed, and jumped again. "KAGOME! NO!"

The thing pulled her down and plunged her into the pool.

...

The water was cold, ice-cold. It stole the breath from her lungs. The thing was dragging her down, down, down. How far down, Kagome couldn t be sure, but the corpse woman kept bringing her deeper.

They passed a rocky outcropping riddled with holes. Kagome felt the pressure build in her ears as the corpse-girl dove into one of the myriad openings. She pushed against the entryway, but the vise held.

Kagome clenched her eyes shut against the silt that filled her nose and mouth. She gagged on it as the greasy film slid down her throat.

The corpse-girl settled deep into her niche with her giant mouth open towards the surface. Kagome watched the thing swallow a thick black ripple down into its gut. The tongue shortened. The corpse-girl swallowed again, and Kagome drew a little closer.

_She's drawing me in._ Kagome realized in horror. She clawed at the slime as the thing suckled and gorged on its own tongue. Kagome bit the black muscle and it oozed into her mouth. "Unngghh!" She bucked against the corspe-girl's hold.

Kagome was close enough now she could make out the brown smudges of silt that coated her underbelly. Now they were speckles of brownish-green, now individual flecks of brown and green.

She screamed when the girl opened her terrible gaping mouth. She's going to devour me! She thought as a real terror filled the miko.

Suddenly, a pink light erupted from her and the corpse-girl screamed.

Her miko powers! They were burning and forcing the corpse-girl away.

The black skin bubbled and oozed under her grasp. Kagome tore the rings from her waist and the great appendage sank into the silt. She kicked out propelling herself towards the rocky entrance.

She swam. Her lungs ached and her legs burned. She kept swimming, swimming, swimming. _But which way was up?_

Somethine shone in the distance. _A light?_ Kagome wondered. _Could that be the orb?_ Kagome kicked closer. It was a shell, like and oyster shell only much, much larger. Large enough to hold a small dog. I have to open it. Kagome forced her hands in between the crack channelling her miko powers down into it.

It opened with a loud crack revealing the slumbering form of Rin to her eyes. She nearly cried for joy. Seizing the young girl, she swam for the surface. She could just make out the flash of a sword. She followed it and prayed for Sesshoumaru's safety.

She could see his outline shimmer along the water's edge. She pumped her legs harder willing herself to break through. She hit the surface and was propelled back. She couldn't get through. From below, a terrible keening sounded up from the depths. Kagome grew frantic.

"Sesshoumaru! Sesshoumaru!" She screamed pounding her fist against the glass.

She saw him reach down. His hand broke through and grabbed her shirt collar. Kagome erupted from the water and clung to his side.

"We have to go now!" Sesshoumaru yelled.

The corpse woman was coming up behind them. Her banshee-like screams called to her brethren, who even now were rising up from their pools. They were going to be overrun.

Sesshoumaru ran, almost flew along the pool s edge. His whip flung out slashing in all directions.

_Please let us make it._ She prayed to the torii that loomed in the distance.

"Hold on!"

Kagome held tight to his pelt as Sesshoumaru reached for Tenseiga. He yelled his battle cry and the blade s deadly arc shot through the sky. It sang over the remaining ponds, a dark purple light, and tore open a hole just wide enough for him to squeeze through.

With a grunt he dove through. As the cold winds of the frozen north bit into his wounds, he couldn't help but wonder if he had traded one hell for another.

Kagome felt Sesshoumaru shudder as the cold settled back in around them. He fell to the ground as his left leg buckled underneath him.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome carefully dug the snow out away from his face. He was pushing himself past his limits, Kagome was sure.

"Almost done, just a little more."

Kagome wasn't sure if he was answering her question or reassuring himself.

He heaved and began to pile the snow around them.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"It's not much, but it's all we've got. This will at least take the edge off the worssst of the windssss." He tucked her under his arm. "Make ssssure Rin isss-" His head dropped, limp onto his chest.

"You're not going to sleep on me!" Kagome yelled and reached up to slap his cheeks. "You need blood, Sesshoumaru!" She pressed his jaw against her neck and forced his fangs in.

He grunted once gently lapping as the the black blood began to flow.

Kagome held his head against hers until she felt the moist warmth of his tongue recede from her collar bone. His breath fanned deep and heavy against her skin. He had fallen asleep with his mouth to her neck. She reached up and placed a soft hand along his cheek, reassuring herself with the slight pulse that rested there. "Goodnight," she whispered, and she tucked the little girl between her and the demon lord.

...


	16. Towada

Kagome shivered as a bitter wind tore across her face. _Cold!_ Her eyes squeezed shut. She tucked her arms and legs into the warmth she could feel beneath her seat.

"Kagome." The voice sounded far away.

Her brows scrunched together wrinkling her forehead. "Sesshoumaru?" She struggled to wrap his name around her tongue. It was thick and heavy as though her mouth was filled with glue.

Her lashes fluttered to reveal two ice-blue slits. They flashed once before clenching shut again.

"Unnngggh," she moaned. Blindingly white light lanced through her skull like a spear which she tried desperately to massage away.

Kagome sat up stifling a curse careful not to jostle the girl that lay nestled beside her.

"How is she?"

Kagome felt the question before she heard it. It reverberated across her frame rolling from side of her body to the other. She shifted in the demon lord's lap and showed him the girl. Rin glowed blue against the white of his hakama casting it shadow. Even her robes, usually a cheery yellow, looked flat and matte-like against the pale glow of her skin.

"Is she awake?"

Kagome shied away from the two great golden orbs that swam before her."No, not yet," she managed to croak out. Her voice cracked, thick and heavy with sleep. She shook herself awake, stretching a reluctant hand out into the cold, placing it on the child's forehead. "It's like she's in a coma or something."

Sesshoumaru nodded gravely. "She won't wake until we find her a new soul."

He shifted his weight, turning to stare off into the distance. Kagome could feel his leg muscles coil and recoil underneath her.

Pain, sharp and quick, stabbed up her left hip. _Cold. Please, let it be the cold,_ she pleaded even as tiny black dots filled her vision. It wasn't.

Blood, thick and black, pulsed and spread its tips into the snow, staining the pristine canvas with thin rivulets of grey. She shivered looking out upon the stark mosaic as it spread out around her. She motioned to its source, Sesshoumaru's leg, where it lay tattered and bleeding into the snow.

"We need to bandage that, Sesshoumaru," she forced her voice flat hoping to keep how dismal their situation looked to herself.

She opened her joints, stiff and creaking, and half-crawled, half-stumbled to his side. She rolled her shoulders over the wound. Her face was mere inches from his mangled flesh. She shuddered, a thin wisp of breath moistening the folds of his hakama where it had frozen to his leg.

Fabric, muscle, bone- it was all entwined like a ribbon of highway, the markings made black with his blood. _How am I supposed to make sense of this road map?_ She fingered the frayed edges and prayed that she wasn't pulling on skin. She set the torn bits of fabric aside as she picked them from the carnage. Those she would use as ties.

The northern winds whipped at her skin as she worked. Soon, fresh, black blood winked up at her from the folds of her skin, and she could taste copper along the ridges of her lips. She sucked in a breath, hissing when it burned, and set her mouth in a grim line.

She wrapped the pieces of scrap around his leg. She could feel Sesshoumaru's blood all over her- covering her shoes, her socks, her legs. Everywhere it touched, it rubbed sticking and chaffing as it congealed and dried.

Her teeth began to chatter. Her body ached and felt heavy all over as though her limbs had been filled with sand. Her head rolled forward with the pressure she could feel building up behind her eyes. She clutched at her stomach and rocked her body back and forth.

_How can Sesshoumaru even stand this?_ She cursed as her fingers fumbled with the knot for the third time. The muscles slipped and slid under the stiff fabric.

Sesshoumaru's leg was shaking now, his breath coming in sharp pants and gasps. She forced her fingers through with a cry and pulled the two ends tight.

Squelch- that was his knee-cap. Scrape- and the bones rubbed together.

Crunch- that one was snow. Sesshoumaru had punched the crystaline white stuff and now sat clenching and unclenching it in his fist.

She froze. Her arms hung over the wound, motionless. The awkward angle pulled at her shoulders, but she refused to move. There were jagged stripes along his cheeks, and his breath was high and short within his chest. So, she waited.

The snow was cold against the bare skin of her shins. And her knees protested the prolonged sit, but still, she waited. She listened to his breathing lengthen. Short, at first and then long, long, long.

She sunk down into her seat with a nervous exhale. "There," she said turning to his other wounds.

Skin was peeling away from his face and neck, and it was riddled with scores and pock marks as though gouged out with a hot poker. They got worse the further she looked down his arm. Long, angry red welts cut across his wrist and up each finger tip.

"What happened to your hand!" She cried cradling the abused digit with her own. It was no more than bone with bits of flesh clinging to the inside of his joints.

"The water in the marshland," he ground out between clenched teeth, "burns like acid. When it dragged you down..." Sesshoumaru frowned, and the divots in his face puckered together in a dark line. "I saw you just under the surface, so I-" he mimicked his strike from earlier and forced his hand opened and closed.

Kagome let her head tilt back and closed her eyes against the tiny dots of cold that pricked at her skin. _This is bad. This is bad. _She was panicking. She could feel it.

_Come on Kagome! You can do this!_ She extoled. Inhale, expand. Exhale, contract. Inhale, expand. Exhale contract. She breathed trying to set her focus on the snowflakes that melted across her face.

_Ahhhhh! _Her mind ranted. _What do I do? Sesshoumaru is... is... and we're stuck in this wasteland!_ A familiar burn built up at the corners of her eyes and she rounded on him.

"Sesshoumaru!" She yelled. "What do you want me to do? I don't know how to fix this!" She gestured wildly with her whole body shaking until her knees collapsed and she knelt lifeless at his feet.

Her head rocked and swayed heavy on her neck as she picked at the remaining scrapes of haori. Her fists clenched and unclenched around the coarse weave. Tears streamed down her face as she held the rough fabric against the skin of his hand. "This won't work!" She choked the words coming out in a garbled mess. "As soon as I let go," and she released it, the fabric fell with a 'plop' into the snow.

"Kagome..."

No answer.

"Kagome..."

"KAGOME!" He barked forcing every ounce of authority he had into that one word. "Look at me." The girl trembled stifling a hiccup and looked up. "I will be fine," he emphasized his point with a grunt, sloughing the pelt from his shoulder. "I'll just use this as a sling."

He ignored the wave of nausea that overtook him as the thick white needles pricked and stung along his skin. He was better than this. He would endure.

"I want you to care for her," he said careful to keep his expression placid. He voice was even, but he was even now panting for breath. "I can't," pause, "sustain the both of you here." His words were slurring now. _Damn it! _His jaw was supposed to work as he commanded it! "It'll be easier," heave, "if she's inside and safe."

His eyes rolled back into his head and his vision blurred. He could feel Kagome's concern spike and morph into growing alarm as he fought to remain conscious. "With the sword," he whispered his eyes pointing to her chest where he knew it lay encased.

Kagome let out the breath she had been holding and wiped her hands along the snow bank. The cuts in her hand burned against the snow-melt, but at least they were clean. With care, she scooped the girl up into her arms.

She inhaled deep and let her breath out slowly. She cupped her hands along her sternum and pressed. It was like pressing a fist-sized pearl into her chest. Her body opened and closed around the sphere with a swirl of mist and shadow.

Sesshoumaru watched the magic dissipate from her form not quite certain what to say to the magic-bright Kagome that stood before him. His posture was wary with a strange formality.

'Thank-you,' he mouthed into the curious silence that now eveloped them.

"You're welcome," she whispered back. Her cheeks reddened, her face flushing with an acute sense of embarrassment, leaving Kagome wondering if perhaps some things were just too initmate for words. She ducked her head into her chest and avoided looking Sesshoumaru in the face.

"W-w-what now?" She breathed willing away whatever awkwardness that had passed between them.

Sesshoumaru shifted his weight casting his gaze out onto the blanket of white that surrounded them. "Now, we head south, to the top of Towada mountain. It is said that the gods first decended there from their lofty domains. The mountain softened under their blessed feet filling with joy like the ocean fills footprints in the sand.

The giant craters formed a great lake, the mountain's gift to the gods. Izanami blessed it and made it the gateway to her domain."

"I see..." She said and watched Sesshoumaru ready himself to stand. Kagome could feel his pain echo across the bond, and she nearly swooned at its intensity. Black and white dots swam along her periphery vision, and she felt rather than saw his leg collapse underneath him. She winced at the cloud of snow dust that shimmered before her.

_What if he can't stand again?_ She wondered turning her head away. She would not look on him in weakness and she would not pity him. She promised. She heard him stumble and stumble again.

Kagome let her eyes fall shut as her head dropped to her chest. Her balled into fists at her side, her nails digging tiny white crescents into the palm of her hands.

She reached inside her past the floating ball she knew as Rin and clasped her hand around the hilt of the sword that lay there. "For Rin," she vowed pulling the blade from its sheath. She placed the cold metal under his sling and looked away.

_Sesshoumaru is strong; he will make it. Sesshoumaru is strong; he will make it._

Sesshoumaru grunted half-snarl, half-growl and heaved himself from the ground.

_Sesshoumaru is strong; he will make it. Sesshoumaru is strong; he will make it._

She heard the blade whisper as it cut across the snow. Whisper, clunk. Whisper, clunk. He was using Tenseiga like a cane. Kagome nodded, a grim smile adorning her lips. _His progress will be slow, but at least there's progress._ She said to the ashen tone of his skin, his pale and suken cheeks. She refused them all, just as she refused the jarring pain she could feel rocketing up the left side of her frame.

_Sesshoumaru is strong; he will make it._ It was her mantra as they took their first steps south.

"To Towada," she said forcing her voice steady.

...


	17. The Long Road

...

They trudged on for days with the shadow creatures following close behind them. Kagome would occasionally see them- their bodies fluttering like black sheets among the trees.

It set Sesshoumaru on edge. He scanned the forest constantly, his eyes focusing and refocusing with every shift in the wind. But, even with his heightened awareness, his process was slow, his footsteps heavy. His bad leg, he hauled along behind him dragging what was left of it through the snow and ice. His boots and hakama trailed behind him with the dull 'thud' and squelch' of wet fabric.

_He isn't even trying for stealth anymore,_ Kagome thought as she listened to the uneven rattle of his chest. Tenseiga crashed through the underbrush beside him, snagging and sticking with every awkward step. Snap, snap, craaack- it swung through the mountain laurel. Snap, snap, thud- she heard it, and he, crash to a halt.

Sesshoumaru screamed as the force ripped his shoulder from its socket.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome yelled and followed him down into the slush. Cold, wet snow melt soaked through her clothes and clung, holding her to the ground as effectively as chains through a shackle.

Kagome found herself shivering and her teeth chattering as she placed a wary hand to Sesshoumaru's pelt. It quivered and shook under her fingertips, the long needles proding the skin of her palm.

Chunks of wood and wet bark covered his face, and was matted into his fur and hair.

"Sesshoumaru..." Kagome cupped his cheek. His skin was cool- no, cold- to the touch, but, his forehead burned. His eyes, like two bright orange bulbs, stared up and through her, his gaze never settling, never focusing.

"Sesshoumaru," she tried again. This time she pressed her entire frame into the crook of his arm. "You need more blood." His weight pressed back, then released, pressed back and then released, as his mouth fished opened and closed. He gasped, his lungs expanding with a rush of air and a strangled gurgle.

"No!" he yelled up at her. "We don't have time!" The orange in his eyes burned brighter- deeper- until the yellow in them threatened to overtake even the last sliver of black.

"But you need food!" She dug her arms deeper into the fabric of his haori. "I can give it to you!"

He growled- the sound was sharp and angry and raised the gooseflesh on her arms. "We-don't-," he bit out, "-have-time!" Each word plumed outwards from his clenched fangs on its own angry, white cloud.

Kagome could feel the warm, moist air spread across her skin in pins and needles. "That's because you won't make any!" She forced her arms out and around the armor that had worked its way around his neck. The tips pricked her skin etching a fresh white stripe across it.

"NO MORE BLOOD!" He was shaking now, thrashing his body underneath hers.

"I've had enough of your stupid pride!" She yelled. "I have food. Let me give it to you!" And she thrust the metal spikes into her shoulder blade. Bright black dots erupted against the white of her cemise.

Kagome shuddered working her cheek muscles against the cold. Something bubbly- or was it burning- climbed up her throat pressing its distinct sharpness into the soft fleshy bits of her tongue. The pressure built behind her mouth, filling the whole of that great cavity like a balloon, until all but her cheeks felt squeezed of their rightful place in her skull.

Her lips tingled, and then started to twitch as though the cold made her laugh. Had she found something funny? Or was it just the cold? Her mouth formed to the shape of a laugh. Perhaps that would ease the pressure building up in her forehead?

She laughed at him now- or was she laughing at the cold- she couldn't remember. Surely, she must have found something funny. How else could she explain the desperate burbling sound in her chest?

_Something is funny_, Kagome reassured herself. She would work it out when her eyebrows stopped hurting and her forehead unfroze from whatever place it was stuck.

Beneath her, two glowing eyes flashed red as something as red and equally as fleshy reached out and grabbed hold of her neck. The thing, warm and wet, and oozed along her skin. It stopped at her shoulder and then, it struck. It was his tongue, Kagome realized, and it pressing against the folds of her wound, pushing the two pieces of skin further and further apart.

She screamed.

She imagined a great sucker fish attatched to her neck, sucking, sapping, draining the very color from her skin. Her head bobbed up then down, and then dropped like a weight on a string. Her eyes went dark, then light again. _What is that __light?_ And then her vision went dark again.

Her legs kicked out when his teeth broke the skin, and, when his mouth sealed to the wound. Something hummed between her ears- or was it between her legs- she couldn't be sure. It sounded like gnashing, or a gnawing of teeth, as though some great beetle was grinding its mandible together.

Something at her shoulder- his teeth- was tearing and then ripping. Kagome screamed again. Dark, black blood oozed from the angry line darkening her skin and staining her blouse.

She heard Sesshoumaru croon. The sound came from the back of his throat, high and pathetic, like a dog stuck under a wire fence. His hips jutted forward and pressed his long, hard erection into her back.

Kagome was yelling at him now, pulling at his neck, his ears, his hair, but he kept pressing back, his hips beating the same time as her heart. Press, press, pulse. Press, press, pulse. Sesshoumaru drew in the sticky black wetness like a babe suckling at his mother's teat.

Press, press, pulse. Press, press, pulse. He kept pushing faster and faster, harder and harder. The course fabric of his hakama now chafed at the back of her thighs, and now pressed into her ass check. She clenched the muscles there willing away the thing that poked her there.

The air stung at her cheeks and tasted of salt.

She heard him groan into the crook of her neck, but the sound was muffled by the thick blackness of her hair. She felt him shudder, and then flick- his member pulsed once, twice, three times against the cold, clamy mounds of her skin. He laped at her neck easing his fangs from their openings.

Kagome stared wide-eyed at the mangled appendage that came down from above, stiff and heavy, and pinned her to him. Its image waved and blurred before her.

Gingerly, she reached down between her legs and pulled at the bunched fabric. She wiped the goo, still tacky, still warm from her skin. Tears, full and new, spilled like hot wax across her face.

_It's just a few more days. Sesshoumaru is __strong- just a few more days- he will make __it._ These thoughts, and others, roared through her mind like the blood she could hear roaring over her ears.

Kagome closed her eyes, and let her head fall to the ground. The snow-melt crinkled around her in a wave of comforting static. She inhaled, and then exhaled one long, even breath.

Crinkle, crinkle, crinkle- the snow shifted under her left foot, and now, a star-shaped hollow under her right hand.

_How long can we sit here? How long until the snow would melt?_ She wondered, and then imagined a great wave of water filling their frozen pool.

And then, _How long would it take us to drown? _

_T_here they were, their bodies stiff with rigor mortis, their hands frozen together with the winter's last frost, tumbling down a river now crammed with the brown, dead things of winter. Green flashed all about them as spring took hold of the forest's new laurels. And there was such a peace to her heart.

"No!" Kagome yelled out. She refused the images that now crashed through her mind's eye. "We're not staying!"

"SESSHOUMARU!" She yelled and fought against the weight of his arm. Finally, there was movement, and she clambered uneasily to her feet. "Sesshoumaru, Sesshoumaru, Sesshoumaru," she entreated, but still, nothing. And then she caught the faint rustle of black at the other side of his back.

The shadow beasts were stuck on him like leeches, their gap-toothed smiles clacking together as they fed.

"Get off of him! You harpies!" A wildness filled her then, one that she had yet to know, and she grabbed for Sesshoumaru's sword. Tenseiga glowed in her grasp, pink tendrils of power richocheting from its tip.

"AAAAHHHH!" She yelled as she swung. The movement was stilted, ungraceful- just hacking, and hissing, and screaming.

The creatures were fast, flitting about on the tiniest gust of wind. If she closed with them, they leeched Sesshoumaru's life force through her own skin. She dodged left and swung to her right, and the tip caught in the edge of one fluttering sheet.

It screamed as it died, its great big mouth foaming open as its innards boiled up from within.

The two that were left ground their teeth and pressed for the attack, flitting back and by her until, at last, one was successful in latching onto her or Sesshoumaru again.

Kagome charged again aiming for the gap-tooth smile that had closed around Sesshoumaru's leg. It screamed, and then hiss- it dissipated.

The last beast floated uneasily before her, and as she swung, it flitted back into the saftey of the forest. Its black cape flickered among the branches, but pressed no further.

Kagome eyed the thing uneasily, and then knelt to the ground and cried. "Sesshoumaru, Sesshoumaru, Sesshoumaru! We have to keep moving. We have to move on!"

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes to mere slits, and growled rotating his body from good leg to shoulder. "AHHHHHHHHHH!" He screamed out as he crawled the few feet toward her.

"Come on, Sesshoumaru." She urged pulling his arm against her side.

He didn't respond with words- those he had lost a long time ago. But, he did lift his arm and grab hold of her skirt.

Kagome struggled to keep her voice from rising in panic as his claws slipped under her skirt. _He isn't going to do that again._ _He hadn't even been all there for the last __time._ She forced her arms down and against her sides even as they sought to rip off the hand that now fumbled against the soft part of her thigh.

"That's it, Kagome. That's it," she told herself.

Sesshoumaru wrapped the mangled digit into the fold of her clothing.

"You're doing fine. You're doing great."

He climbed his way up her body, pressing his torso first up onto her knees, then over her chest, and then finally across her shoulder.

"You have to be strong for Sesshoumaru."

Kagome let out a deep exhale when he finally came to standing. "That's it, Kagome. That's it," she told herself even as she reached forward to place the nub of his once-arm into the crook of her neck. She was now completely supporting the demon lord's left side.

"Sesshoumaru." She tugged at haori sleeve. "We need to go." And she took a step.

His weight dug uncomfortably into her shoulder, but his right leg did rise to meet his left.

Kagome nearly cried out with her relief. "That's it! That's it." Her eyes grew warm with tears. "That's it, Sesshoumaru. Let's do it again, just like that." She kept chanting to him, every time his left foot met his right.

For if it ever came time that she would need to carry him- she couldn't even finish the thought. They would make it to Towada. There wasn't any other way.

Sesshoumaru wouldn't let her fail.

...


End file.
